Where the lonely ones roam
by willowaus
Summary: It was a deal to save her friend. It was never supposed to change her entire life. Nor was it supposed to change his, but that's the thing with plans, they don't always go quite how they're supposed to. [Set during 3x21 and then goes AU] Klaroline
1. Prologue

**Set during 3x21 and then becomes AU. **

**This was inspired by a tumblr prompt that I received and apparently wants to become a full-fledged story. I caved to peer pressure.**

**Enjoy.**

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She probably shouldn't have been doing this, shouldn't have been anywhere near the Mikaelson mansion, let alone heading inside of it. Caroline felt as though she needed to do more than a quickly whispered 'thank you' in a hallway after all that happened. She'd gone home as directed and showered, drank a blood bag or two to get her strength back up, and then sat on her bed, waiting for someone to fill her in on what had happened.

Her phone never rang, there were no text messages waiting for and no one was answering any of the ones she sent off either. She knew the others had to be looking for Elena, that Alaric was still out there, and considering she couldn't locate where Bonnie, Stefan or Damon even were right then, Caroline had figured that maybe Klaus had some idea on Alaric's current whereabouts. Or maybe he even knew where the others were. After all he had gone into the school to get Elena out, had used the word 'we' and that had to mean he was working with the Salvatores and Bonnie. At least she hoped that was what it meant. Obviously her friends weren't answering because they were too busy completing the next step to whatever plan they had come up with and she was supposed to be resting and recouping after being tortured for most of the afternoon.

Whatever Caroline had expected to see when she meandered through the mansion, looking for someone to get information from, it wasn't Elena strapped to a chair. Her friend was barely alive, and she saw the IV's inserted in her arms, collecting blood. _Too much_ blood by how bad her friend looked.

"Oh my god," Caroline gasped, flashing right over to her.

"Caroline?" Elena's voice was barely audible, her breathing going much too shallow for Caroline's liking and Caroline looked down at the IV's. She knew she wasn't supposed to just rip them out, had remembered that from some random documentary she'd watched late at night when she was home alone and couldn't sleep. But obviously they needed to stop doing what they were doing or she had a feeling Elena was going to bleed out on her.

"It's going to be okay," Caroline tried to reassure her friend, biting down into her wrist and pressing it against Elena's mouth. That should give her friend added strength and now if she ripped the IV's out the wounds should heal up right away. She fed Elena a little bit more of her blood before carrying out her plan and ripping the ropes off the chair as well.

"Klaus," Elena murmured, and Caroline nodded, moving to help Elena stand so she could get her the hell out of the house.

"I kinda figured he's the one who did this to you," Caroline sighed, wondering how he could go from helping her out in the school to doing this to Elena.

"No," Elena tried again, slumping against Caroline as the vampire blood worked at healing her body.

"I think what she means, love, is that I'm standing right behind you," Klaus said and Caroline held onto Elena a little tighter, loosening her grip again when Elena groaned in pain. "Might I ask what you're doing?"

"_Actually,_" Caroline bit out, turning to face him as she kept her hold on her friend. "I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be _my line._ What the hell do you think you're doing? The amount of blood you're taking from her will kill her and then where will you be with your little hybrid army."

"He doesn't care," Elena murmured, and Caroline could hear a bit more life to her friend's voice so her blood was definitely doing its job. Of course there was the new added issue that Klaus was kind of blocking their exit.

"Not even a tiny bit," Klaus agreed, his smug expression causing shivers to creep down Caroline's spine at the callousness of the situation. "I'll have my blood and perhaps the number of hybrids I can create will be limited, but I think the world could stand to have one less doppelganger in it." He took a step forward and Caroline took one back, bringing Elena with her. "Not to mention I believe my siblings would see it as a sign I'm evolving and no longer so fixated on creating my own army."

"Except you already have how many bags of her blood collected?" Caroline kept moving, trying to keep Elena out of his path, but she knew he was backing them up to a wall.

"I always did appreciate having a number of backup plans in my arsenal," Klaus replied with a shrug and Caroline didn't like the sudden widening of his smile as he focused his attention on her and stopped hedging his way towards her. "I'm also one who enjoys using the opportunities that unexpectedly present themselves."

Caroline gave Elena a gentle squeeze, not sure what Klaus was going on about, but from the way he was cocking his head and looking her over she knew she wasn't going to appreciate whatever he said next. "I take it that you'd like Elena to remain alive?" Klaus continued.

"Do I seriously need to answer that?" Because _seriously?_ How was that even an actual question? Of course she wanted her friend to live. What the hell was the point of the last year if Elena didn't live? What was the point of all of the sacrifices and changes and everything that all of them had endured if Elena died? Life could not be that cruel.

Klaus arched a brow and Caroline huffed, realizing he wanted her to answer the question. "_Yes_, I want her to live."

"Then she lives," Klaus replied, moving to sit down in the chair that Elena had been occupying. He still looked too smug, as though he was about to win the lottery based on whatever was happening and Caroline didn't understand why he looked that way. Or why he was so easily giving her what she wanted when he'd obviously been all for Elena's death five seconds earlier. "Of course there are conditions."

"Of course," Caroline muttered, wondering what they were even if some part of her had an idea. Though she was unsure if she was currently fearing or anticipating what they would be and didn't want to analyze that too closely.

"My siblings and I are leaving, the bags I already have will be coming with me, and so will you," Klaus informed her, and Caroline stared at him, not at all surprised that was in the stipulations.

"You can't be serious," Elena snapped, her grip tightening on Caroline who hadn't said a word in reply.

Klaus ignored Elena's response, his gaze fixed on Caroline. "For one year, though I'm quite certain after that year you'll have no desire to return to this small town and its limited dreams. One year where you let me show you what precisely the world has to offer."

A silent '_what I have to offer'_ passed between the two of them and Caroline looked away, contemplating the terms. "And if I agree, Elena lives and you won't try for revenge on any of my friends or my mom."

"Caroline, you can't—" Elena started, but Caroline couldn't look at her friend, even as she held her a tiny bit tighter. Couldn't Elena see that she was doing this for her? For all of them? None of them would need to worry about Klaus trying to interfere with their lives any longer. Wasn't that worth one year of her freedom? What was one year in the grand scheme of things? She was a vampire, she'd have plenty more of them to live.

"I can promise that I will not nor will any in my employ do anything to your friends or mother. I cannot say the same for my siblings. Though I doubt any of them will bother returning here once we leave in the next hour." Klaus stood up, walking over to them but unlike the previous times, Caroline didn't step back. She stayed rooted to the spot, watching him extend his hand toward her. "Do we have a deal, sweetheart?"

"Caroline," Elena protested, but Caroline ignored her, reaching out and taking hold of Klaus' hand.

"Yes." Caroline agreed her stomach sinking as Klaus swept his thumb over the back of her hand in a gentle caress. She wrenched her hand away then.

"I suggest you get Elena back to her house or wherever you think she might need to be. Say goodbye to your friends and mother as well. I'll be by to collect you in an hour," Klaus told her, already heading to leave the room. "And, Caroline, if any of them try to stop me the part of not harming them becomes null and void, so perhaps you might want to explain that to them."

He was gone before either girl could respond and Caroline released her hold on Elena, knowing she was healed enough to walk on her own. She wasn't sure how Elena would fare if she flashed them out of the house and her car was in the driveway, waiting to be used.

"You don't have to do this," Elena told her as they piled on in. "Caroline. You can't do this. He's a monster. How do you know he'll even let you go after a year? Or that you'll even survive a year with him?"

"We can't defeat him," Caroline replied, steering the car in the direction of the boarding house. "Even if they do desiccate him then we have to always watch the body, secure it somewhere safe because really, the ocean? Who's' to say someone won't fish it out and kill him?" She wouldn't put it past Alaric to try and do that considering how screwed up he was now. "Look, this gives you guys a chance to come up with a better plan. To deal with Alaric and maybe with all of the Originals gone and Klaus not looking to drain you dry at any second, you can have a normal life again."

Though, loving two vampire brothers kind of killed that whole normal life dream but at least the threat of death wouldn't be hanging over their heads every day? At least that's what Caroline hoped.

"And what about you?" Elena demanded. "What about your chance at a normal life?"

"I'm a vampire, Elena." Her father's words echoed in her head, telling her she'd never be okay again. And while maybe he had changed his mind on that before he died, Caroline felt it made sense in a way. The normal that Elena could have was something that Caroline would never be able to achieve. Not for long. Not when neighbors would start to notice she hadn't aged in a few years. "I don't really get normal anymore."

No matter how hard she tried to cling to it at times.

Silence fell between them and Caroline knew that Elena was trying to come up with more reasons she shouldn't go, with a plan to stop Klaus, with anything to get Caroline to reconsider her mind. Caroline also knew that the others would do the same. That they would probably try their current plan and maybe they'd succeed, but she knew it wouldn't last for long. Not with Klaus' siblings still out and about. No doubt they would try to fix their brother if Bonnie did succeed.

Caroline parked the car in the driveway and got out with Elena. She didn't walk after her though and Elena stopped once she realized that, turning to look questioningly at her. "Tell my mom I love her and I'll call her as soon as I can," Caroline told her friend, flashing away before Elena could protest.

She found herself on the Mikaelson mansion steps and didn't even need to knock, the door opening before she even raised her hand. "It's not quite been an hour, love." Klaus arched a brow at her, though for some reason she felt he knew she'd be back as soon as she had been.

"Let's just go." Caroline headed down the steps before he answered, not surprised when he was bounding down them with her. She reached the bottom, not entirely sure how they were leaving Mystic Falls when Klaus nodded toward the garage.

"Don't look so glum, Caroline," Klaus told her as he headed to the Aston Martin that parked in the front. "You're about to have all of your dreams come true. Traveling, seeing the world."

"Except for the fact that I'll be doing it all with you," Caroline snapped as she got into the passenger's side.

Klaus simply smiled, turning on the ignition. "Buckle up. You're in for quite a ride."

Caroline didn't reply, leaning her head against the window as she watched the only home she had ever known fly by. Her phone vibrated against her leg, no doubt every single one of her friends trying to get hold of her, to stop her from leaving with him, wanting to tell her that there were other ways. She fished the cell out of her pocket and pushed button to roll down the window, letting the phone drop onto the asphalt as Klaus continued to speed them away. She didn't need the phone, didn't want to see the texts or hear the voicemails. Her decision was made and she knew her mother's number by heart so Caroline figured she didn't need the extra weight holding her down.

Klaus didn't comment and Caroline wouldn't dare look at him, her focus on the road as she tried to calm her nerves. For once she had no idea what the future had in store for her and she wasn't sure if she was frightened or elated at that prospect. All she did know was that Klaus was right; she probably was in for quite a ride. She just hoped that she survived it.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Happy Klaroline Wednesday! **

**So here's the next part. These chapters are going to be a lot shorter than my usual. Probably 3-4000 words each because I can't take on doing 2 long chapters a week. But unlike TDB this one will focus solely on Klaroline. Others might crop in it, but the main point will always be Klaus and Caroline and their development.**

**Enjoy!**

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Silence was never something Klaus expected to endure when he was around Caroline. She rarely stopped talking or so that was how it seemed to him. Even when she wasn't as talkative as usual, her eyes expressed all that she left unsaid. He couldn't see those eyes now, her head pressed against the window as she continued to stare out at the trees that they drove past. She hadn't spoken a word to him since they left Mystic Falls and it was a tad unnerving.

He had expected questions on where they were going, on what he planned for them to do, on what all it meant that she was to travel with him for a year. She had always seemed to be the inquisitive sort and he didn't like that she wasn't being curious. It wouldn't do for what he had planned and already he knew the fact that having her in the car with him meant that he needed to change some of what he had already decided to do.

Meeting up with his siblings wouldn't work if Caroline was going to be this unresponsive. Kol and Rebekah would be grating enough as it was and Klaus wanted some time alone with her to set everything in motion before adding in those two obstacles. No doubt Elijah would simply frown at his methods of getting her to come along as well but that was easy enough to ignore. Kol and Rebekah were another story and while he had every intention of meeting up with his family, maybe it would be best to do so in a week or two after getting Caroline acclimated to traveling with him.

His cell rang and Klaus tapped the button on the steering wheel, unsurprised that he was already hearing from Rebekah. "Hello, sister," he greeted, glancing over at Caroline but still there was no movement from her.

"I want to move the meeting date up," Rebekah told him, and he could hear Kol in the background, no doubt making a nuisance of himself. "I cannot be in this buffoons company for more than a day, Nik. He's already ate the driver."

"We don't need one anyway. I'm sure I can drive that lovely little vehicle," Kol piped up and Rebekah's answer was a loud huff of hair to showcase her annoyance.

"I'm actually going to need to push it back a week or two," Klaus replied, waiting for the outburst he knew would be coming.

"Tell me you're not sticking around that good for nothing town for some reason or another," Rebekah sighed, her distaste for Mystic Falls clear in her tone. "You don't need any blood from the doppelganger any longer. You have us."

His family.

"I'm already an hour outside of the town. But unforeseen circumstances presented themselves to me and I have every intention on seeing where they lead." He looked over at Caroline then, noting that she shivered a little at that response, though her gaze remained on the window.

"Always so cryptic, it's rather annoying," Rebekah commented. "I can't see what would entice your—tell me you do not have her there with you!" It was amazing how his sister's voice was able to spike to such a level in a matter of seconds.

"I left the doppelganger behind," Klaus replied, pulling onto the highway that would lead to their first destination.

"Not _her._ I could care less about that little annoyance," Rebekah bit out. "I'm talking about the blonde cheerleader you've got a ridiculous obsession with."

"Like I said, Rebekah, I'll see you in a week or two," Klaus replied, cutting off the call before his sister could answer. He shut off his phone, knowing she'd only try calling again and he had no desire to listen to her hissy fit over the fact he had Caroline in tow.

He had no idea what any of it meant, this pull he had toward the baby vampire. It had come out of nowhere and confused him beyond reason, but he couldn't shake it. No matter how hard he had tried. Not even after her role in getting him away from Kol for the others to dagger. Not after her apparent distaste in his promises at the decades dance. All it had taken was a mention that she was in that damn school with Elena and he knew he had to go in as well. Partly, for the doppelgangers blood that he had safely towed away in the trunk, but also for the intriguing blonde who sat beside him, still not speaking.

"We're going to make a brief stop in Leesburg," Klaus told her, glancing once again at Caroline. "We need to get a suitcase or two and buy both of us some clothes. Otherwise things might look rather suspicious." As easy as it was to compel people to look the other way, having certain items handy would allow for them to avoid causing any alarms with how tight aviation security had become. "I do not have a passport for you yet, but one will be available after we stop off in Boston for the night. Have you ever been?"

He knew she hadn't been outside of the United States from their earlier conversation but was unaware if she had ever left Virginia. Caroline didn't answer and Klaus gripped the wheel, becoming increasingly annoyed at her silence. "I have no intention of compelling what I want out of you, Caroline, but if you continue this rather rude treatment I will order one of my hybrids to go back to Mystic Falls and dispose of the first person they run into. Perhaps an old classmate. Someone you've known since birth."

"I already told you that I've never been anywhere," Caroline bit out, and he was pleased to see that fire in her eyes as she finally looked over at him. That's the spirit he had been missing. "Excuse me for wanting to have a few moments to myself to process the fact that I just gave up _everything_ and didn't feel like chit chatting with you."

"You said that in regard to foreign places. I was unsure if that also applied to this country," Klaus replied, amused by the annoyance in her voice. Her little grumble at his amusement only seemed to further it.

"Well, I haven't. So, now we talked. I'd like to go back to continuing the lovely silence we had going there." She turned back to the window and Klaus shifted lanes, unable to stop smiling.

Her ability to speak her mind to him had been something he had enjoyed since their first real face to face time. He'd seen her in Mystic Falls when he'd been inhabiting Alaric's body, seen her when he'd turned Tyler, and consequently after that a number of times at various places because of the boy. She'd always been an attractive little thing, but it wasn't until that moment in her bedroom when she was dying that he truly was able to take in just how beautiful she was.

There had been something about the way she hadn't been afraid of him in those moments, how the light that seemed to inhabit her continued to fight to remain ignited even as her body slowly died. The words that had come out of his mouth hadn't been planned. He was going to simply go inside, drop some blood into a glass for her and be on his merry way. Getting the Sheriff's backing had been the priority.

But there had been something about Caroline lying in that bed, surrounded by birthday cards—and how silly was that, celebrating a life that was over—as she lay dying. The trinket she wore on her wrist hadn't been good enough for her, he had known that much as he held her in his arms, her fangs piercing his skin to drink down the cure that ran only in his veins. He'd forced the cure down Katherine's throat once, handed off his blood in vials to others, offered it up to the hybrids he'd tried and then successfully been able to make. But there was something different that night, a feeling he couldn't quite explain as he held her in his arms, felt her drink her fill and then laid her back down on the covers.

She had fallen asleep not long after and after assuring the Sheriff and the annoying human boy that she would be fine, Klaus had departed. But he hadn't been able to get her out of his head and so he'd returned with the bracelet, something that _deserved_ to be on her wrist. Unlike the flimsy trinket she had worn.

He had attempted to forget her after that, focused on everything else that had been happening, from dealing with Stefan to his family suddenly being around again. He heard of her father's death and had considered offering his condolences but never did, too caught up in his own plans to bother with it. She was something for his sketchbook, to be drawn and then put aside, not quite forgotten but not allowed to be at the forefront of his mind either.

And then his mother had asked who he'd be bringing to the ball and it had all gone downhill from there. The stirrings inside of him for the baby vampire deepening, strengthening and he'd be damned if he wasn't about to use this opportunity to get her the hell out of his system.

Klaus had meant it though. There would be no compelling. He wanted her willing when he finally had her writhing underneath him, to have the Lockwood boy be a distant memory that he could easily replace. And what better way to do all of that than give the girl some of her deepest desires and darkest dreams? She had been far too sheltered in that tiny little town and Klaus had every intention of showing her precisely what it meant for Caroline to be a vampire and how to enjoy what she had become. Whether she liked it or not.

"Why are we going to Boston?" she asked after some time and Klaus smiled, pleased she was talking again.

"I want to put distance between us and Alaric before nightfall. We'll be able to buy more items that we'll need from there and get our passports," Klaus informed her. "And then it's anywhere really. Do you have a specific place you'd like to see, Caroline?"

"My bedroom," she muttered, blowing hair out of her face.

"I see we'll be relying on my own plans then," Klaus replied, as he pulled into a parking spot in front of the small boutique. "Don't forget that I gave you this chance to have a smidgen of control, Caroline, and you balked at it."

"Can I think about it and get back to you? Since I've no idea really what I'd like to see," she sighed, and he found her frustration to be highly amusing.

"I'll consider it. We have thirty minutes in here, love. Grab a few things that you like and then we'll throw them into the suitcases that we'll buy at the airport. You'll be able to do a little more retail damage once we're at our first destination," Klaus told her, as he shut off the ignition.

"Can't wait," she muttered, not moving from the car.

"And, Caroline, it'd be a pity if I had to have a little snack because someone decided to cause some strife for us while shopping," Klaus added, arching a brow at her strangled gasp. He knew that she was well aware that he would make good on that threat.

He exited the vehicle and she did the same, slamming the door as she closed it and headed toward the store. Klaus headed her off, getting to the door before she did. "A smidgen more gratefulness would really not be too much to ask."

Klaus held open the door, sliding his hand along her arm as she headed inside. He had to hand it to her; she didn't give him the eye of death at that point, playing into the part of someone ready to have a little shopping fun. "I can't wait to see what you pick out, love."

Caroline pulled away from him, offering up a smile as the store attendants looked their way, ready to help the two new customers. "Try not to buy anything tacky," Caroline countered, before she turned on her heel and headed over to the women's' fashion section.

Klaus watched her walk away, wondering if she realized the enticing way her hips swayed as she did so. He couldn't be too sure about that at times. She was definitely one who owned her sexuality and tried to use it to her advantage, was not afraid to embrace it from what he had seen of her, but she'd barely lived really. She had no idea what seduction truly was but he was going to enjoy showing her it.

* * *

Nearly four hours later and Klaus was tipping the bellman before closing the door. He turned around, watching Caroline look around the hotel room, noting the way her eyes darted to the large king bed. The _only_ bed in the entire room. He didn't say a word, removing the blood bags from the cooler and putting them into the mini-fridge. His hybrids should have the medical cooler available for him in the morning, along with the passports they would need to leave the country. This would have to do for now.

"Would you rather dine out or in?" Klaus sat down on the bed, watching her move around the room, not sure where to put herself or what to do. "I know I'm rather famished after the car and plane ride and I ate before I left. So I can only imagine how hungry you might be."

He could practically see the internal debate going on in her head. Leave the room or stay, which was the better option? Leaving would mean seeing a little more of the city and he had seen how she had glanced out of the cab while they had driven to the hotel. Staying inside probably seemed the safer option except when she looked at the bed, which only seemed to unnerve her more.

"You're with me for a year, Caroline. Would enjoying yourself a little really be harming you any?" he asked, watching her still at the question. "Do you think your friends expect you to be miserable? And if they do then I truly do wonder what that says about those you choose to associate yourself with."

He smirked at her glare, knowing he'd hit a nerve. "Let's go out," she finally said, turning away from him again and looking at the window, though she didn't go near it. So close to seeing the beauty of the Boston skyline and yet denying herself the opportunity.

"Splendid," Klaus replied, moving to stand behind her. He noticed her stiffen at his proximity but didn't smell any fear. "I have just the dress for you to wear."

"I can pick out my own attire," she told him, her voice cold as she turned around side stepping around him to head to her suitcase. He arched a brow as she wheeled it into the bathroom, locking the door. "I'll be ready in an hour."

Perfect.

He could work with an hour.

* * *

True to her word an hour later and Caroline stepped out of the bathroom. Her hair was curled perfectly, the red dress hugging her curves in all of the right places, and makeup done like armor for a night out. She had considered putting in an effort to look awful, but she couldn't do it. Perfectly crafted hair, lipstick and eyeliner being just right, was what helped her face the world. It allowed her some resemblance of control and she needed that more than anything considering how out of control she was feeling.

She tried not to look at Klaus as she stepped into her heels and then smoothed down her skirt, making sure everything was in place. "You look ravishing," he told her, that damn accent coming out to play and she wasn't going to allow it send tingles up her spine, no matter how her body wanted it to.

"You need new material," she told him, crossing her arms as she finally took him in. His ability to clean up so nicely was highly annoying. She hoped he knew that. "Can we go?"

Klaus simply walked over and opened the door, offering his arm to her as they headed down the hallway. She didn't take it, keeping her hands clasped on the clutch she held in front of her. She could almost feel him stiffen at the rebuff and regretted it as soon as his hand settled on her back, guiding her down the hallway instead. She really should have just taken his arm.

"Are we walking or…?" Cab she supposed?

"We'll actually be dining at the restaurant on the first floor. It's a four star restaurant and the concierge assured me that it has a delectable Italian cuisine," Klaus informed her, and she didn't like how he leaned in to say that as they boarded the elevator. His mouth too close to her skin for her comfort. "I hope he's correct in that assessment."

She froze at that, looking over at him as the elevator door closed. "And if he's not?"

"Nothing for you to worry about," Klaus replied, but she could tell by his malicious smirk that it wouldn't be anything good.

"You can't just kill him because you don't agree with his food critique!" God, she was so happy they were alone in the elevator.

"You'll find, Caroline, that I can do whatever I please." She didn't like how his hand moved from her back to her hip, holding her closer to him. "Now how about a little less lip and we enjoy our evening. Wouldn't want it to reflect on the concierge's recommendation, would you?"

"You're an ass," she muttered, sighing at his smirk. The elevator opened and she headed out into the lobby with Klaus. She knew that if she didn't at least try to enjoy herself that it would probably end badly for the other man. And it shouldn't be her fault, Klaus should be able to reel in his own damn temper and his stupid need for proving he was the alpha male, but she wasn't about to be the cause of the man's death either.

He nodded to the man at the desk who smiled brightly back, motioning for which way they should head. The poor guy had no idea who he was dealing with or the consequences that his actions could cause for him. All he had done was his job and it could result in his death. As Klaus smoothly led her toward the restaurant, all charm to the hostess, Caroline realized that she also had little idea of what she was dealing with in regards to Klaus.

This wasn't Mystic Falls. This wasn't her being the little distraction for her friends. This was a whole new ballgame and she didn't even know what the rules were. But then again, who said only he got to make the rules? She had a year and that had to mean she'd survive it, no matter what she chose to do. Maybe. There were no doubt lines she shouldn't cross but that didn't mean she wouldn't try and push the limit as often as she could.

She slipped onto the chair that he held out for her and set her clutch down on the table, looking across at Klaus as he sat down, already ordering them a bottle of champagne. Caroline didn't know quite how she'd create any rules or work to have her own upper hand but she wasn't going down without a fight. It was obvious that he wanted her there, why else would he have made the deal? And he'd said he had no desire to compel her so that also had to be in her favor. She needed to play her cards right and make her current circumstances work in her favor.

The waiter came back, filling their glasses and leaving the bottle to chill at the table. Caroline brought the flute to her mouth, watching Klaus' gaze fix on her lips as she took a sip, smiling at her as he did the same. She reciprocated, though there was nothing pleasant about her own grin. He wasn't allowed to be the only one in control. She'd make certain of that.

Game on.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites, everyone. Hope you enjoy this next chapter.**

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Dinner was turning out to be a silent battle between the two of them. For every move her presented she tried to counter it, but as time passed she was realizing that Klaus enjoyed that. The fact that she didn't simply give into his whims something that seemed to intrigue him. Caroline wasn't sure how to counter that. Giving in wasn't something she could do, not with him, _never _with him, but the intricate chess game that they seemed to have going on between them only seemed to be entertaining him.

She would _not _admit that she was almost enjoying it as well. Or, maybe she'd admit it a tiny bit to herself, but it was only because she _liked_ challenges. Nothing more than that. That was probably also why the Hybrid across from her was enjoying the evening; it was obvious to her that he seemed to enjoy challenges as well.

"I take it that you enjoyed the steak? So much better when it's rare, don't you think?" Klaus asked, having traded their champagne in for wine. She didn't know the kind aside from it was red, but considering how their waitress's eyes had widened when he ordered it, Caroline figured it had been expensive.

"I still think I would have preferred the shrimp." Not that she had been able to order her own food. Not with Mr. Stuck in the Past sitting across from her ordering everything they had.

"I doubt it would have satisfied your _needs_ quite the same," Klaus replied, arching a brow and she really didn't like the way he said any of those words or the rather intimate tone he used.

"I can satisfy my own needs just fine, thanks," she bit out, picking up the dessert menu. She glimpsed his grin then, not liking the mischievous glint to it, and she replayed her words in her head, realizing how they could have been taken. Thank god she couldn't blush anymore. "I'm ordering dessert."

"By all means, sweetheart, I'm quite interested in seeing how well you can predict my particular desires," Klaus told her and it took a lot of effort not to throw her drink at him.

Caroline didn't even need to look up to know he was watching her with that damn smug expression, no doubt leaning back in the chair as if he owned the damn place. She kept her focus on the menu, wondering if she should mess up on purpose; go as far from what she thought he might like just to screw up whatever little fantasy was running through his head. Her pride wouldn't let her do it though and she waited for the waitress to return, pointing to the menu as she made sure to keep it out of Klaus' sight, ordering two of them.

There was no reason to keep the menu up any longer and she put it back in its place, a tad bit annoyed that she had lost her perfect shield. She didn't like the way she caught him looking at her. It wasn't like she wasn't used to being looked over by guys every so often, she'd been dealing with that since middle school, but there was something about the way that Klaus did it that was different. She couldn't quite pinpoint what it was exactly, but she did know that it was like he was seeing into the very heart of her sometimes, peeling back layers she had worked very hard to etch into place and didn't want anyone dissecting, least of all him.

"So what's the plan exactly?" she asked, needing to break up the silence because it _wasn't_ uncomfortable and it seriously was supposed to be. "Dinner, sleep, get the passports and then get out of this country?"

Klaus nodded, picking up his wine glass as he replied. "I have no intention in sticking around with Alaric still on the loose. I doubt he's caught wind of where we have headed quite yet, but there's little doubt in my mind that he would figure it out quick enough if we stuck to this continent."

Did vampires get panic attacks? Was that a thing? She had gotten one once when she was human, in the middle of finals week sophomore year after the whole cheerleading debacle and the spring fling and a million other little things piling up that had finally come crashing down on her, too much to handle for some time. It felt like that time a little right then, the weight of the fact they would be _leaving the country_ finally collapsing on top of her. She was going to be at least an entire ocean away from everyone she knew, from everyone she knew. Probably in a place where she _didn't _know the language, where only _he_ knew the language and she didn't like how vulnerable that could make her, how it could tie her so irrevocably to him that getting any time to herself might be almost impossible.

"Caroline." His voice calling her name broke her out of her own messy onslaught of thoughts, blinking rapidly for a moment when she realized he had reached across the table and was touching her hand. "Perhaps we should take dessert to go."

She looked down at their hands, noting that she had nearly snapped the knife in half and wrenched her hand back, smelling the blood before she even noticed that she had cut herself on the blade. He picked the knife up from the table and she wanted to wipe that insufferable look right off his face as he twisted the utensil back into its correct form.

"Fine by me." Not that she really wanted to back to that hotel room with _one freaking bed_. Who the hell got a room like that? Like there weren't rooms with two beds. She'd sleep in the damn bathtub if she needed to. There was no way she was sharing a bed with him.

Ten minutes later and they were leaving the restaurant, Klaus carrying the bag with their boxed up dessert. The concierge nodded to the, clearly wanting to know what they had thought. Klaus simply nodded back and Caroline hoped that meant he wasn't going to go and find the guy later that night.

Klaus led her up to the room, doing that annoying hand on her back move again, but stopped when they got to the room, his phone ringing. He handed her the bag and she walked into the room, putting the dessert in the mini-fridge, trying not to look at the bags of Elena's blood already stored inside. Caroline glanced around, trying to figure out what to do, wondering if it was time to get ready for bed. Not that she really even wanted to sleep. Not after having been tortured.

The last two times she had endured pain at the hands of another she'd been unable to sleep for a few weeks, nightmares waking her constantly. Lovely little reminders of all she had been through. She really didn't want to have one of those around Klaus. Like he even knew the meaning of comfort.

"Seems I have a few things to take care of," Klaus informed her as he stepped back inside, his features hard. "Do not leave this room."

"What about if the place catches on fire?" Okay, not all that likely, but it could happen!

She shrugged at his pointed look. "I already told you that I have no desire to use compulsion, Caroline, but I will if I see that it necessary," he warned, and she sat down on the bed, sighing heavily. "Let's consider this a little test. We both know I'll find you if you do leave and I'm sure you remember the consequences if you break our deal."

She scowled at that. "I'm not going anywhere. If the place catches on fire I'll meet you at the nearest Starbucks."

His lips twitched at that, but she couldn't determine if it was from annoyance or amusement. "I'll return as soon as possible."

"Can I call my mom?"

"You're the one who disposed of your phone, Caroline. Not I. You're free to call who you wish," Klaus told her and left before she could reply.

She stared at the space he had been and then looked at the phone, willing herself to pick it up and dial her mother's number. She couldn't seem to do it though, not sure how to explain her choice to her mother, to make sure her mom didn't trace the call and come to Boston with her gun cocked and ready to take on the Original. That would definitely mess up the deal she had made with Klaus. The one that was keeping Elena safe and the others safe. At least for a year. What exactly would happen _after_ that year was up was anyone's guess, but so much could change in a year, maybe they would find another way to stop Klaus in a year. She had to hold out hope that things would work out. Wallowing in what-if scenarios was not what she was going to do.

She slipped into her pajamas—simple pink cotton pants and matching tank top—and got out her dessert before settling into the bed to watch whatever she could find that was at least somewhat entertaining on the television. Hours passed and she tried not to wonder about where Klaus was, what he was doing, silently berating herself for not listening in on his phone conversation. Eventually though the events of the last day caught up with her, zapping her energy and she fell asleep on the bed, half-eaten dessert discarded on the bedside table.

* * *

Four hours later and Klaus was back in the hotel, his expression tight as he barely held in the annoyance that had only grew since he had received that phone call. He'd had plans on what was to happen once he and Caroline got back into that hotel room, plans that had been needlessly altered because of two inept hybrids. Two hybrids that were now without their hearts and left to rot in an alley in Boston. At least he'd gotten the passports from them before learning of what they had done, his anger at the two of them increasing with each word that had left their mouth.

Alaric now knew where he and Caroline were located. All because the two idiots had thought it a good idea to talk so freely about it over the phone with the one hybrid left in town that was to be leaving that night. And now he was down three hybrids, one courtesy of the nuisance his mother had created.

It wasn't as though his hybrids were so easily obtained and while he did have a healthy dose of doppelganger blood at the moment, he had little idea for how long it would last or when he'd be able to get more. It wasn't as though he would be stepping foot again in that sad little town anytime soon, nor would he be able to whisk the Gilbert girl out of it. His current deal with the baby vampire forbid such behavior and Klaus was currently more intrigued by that deal than the rest of it. There was enough blood to create a number of more hybrids to make up for the ones he had just killed as well as the rest that had died because of the bloody Mystic Falls gang.

Not that it helped reel in his annoyance or lessened his ever growing foul mood as he stepped into the elevator, ignoring the concierge. That man was becoming a nuisance as well, someone that Klaus found to be highly irritating, and he never did do well with handling irritation in a healthy manner. He hoped that Caroline was still in the room, that she had passed this small test and hadn't tried to leave. Not that he truly expected that she would go anywhere, not with her friend's lives at stake.

Klaus was barely off the elevator when he smelled the fear emanating down the hallway, pinpointing it to his room. He could hear the tiny whimpers of pain, the pleas for Alaric to stop and flashed down the hallway. Were the hybrids misinformed? Had Alaric already gotten to the state? Was he in there, torturing Caroline?

He could turn around and run now, let Alaric have the blonde and make his own getaway. But the blood was in there. Blood that he needed. And if he was honest, Klaus knew he didn't want to leave her to Alaric's whims, eyes narrowing as her whimpers grew louder. Though they weren't loud enough to echo in the hallways yet, only truly audible from his current distance because of his remarkable hearing.

If he broke down the door would that cause the hunter to simply drive a stake through Caroline's heart before he could do anything to save her? Would it be better to use the keycard to open the door and try for a bit of surprise? Klaus was unsure. All he knew was he couldn't leave her and the blood bags in there at that madman's mercy.

He slid the keycard in, pushing the door open and ready to throw the hunter away from the baby vampire, hybrid features already on display as adrenaline pumped through his veins. But there was no one in the room except Caroline who was curled up on her side, caught in the torture of her own nightmare. Klaus narrowed his eyes as he closed the door, stalking over to her.

He was so close to grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her awake, intent on screaming at her for allowing such a weakness, for causing the reaction she had in him. But he stopped halfway to the bed, watching as she twisted on the bed, her face showing so much fear even with her eyes closed. He remembered that look from when he'd grabbed her in the hallway, trying to make sure she was alright, that Alaric hadn't done any permanent damage.

Her two little words echoed in his mind. That simple phrase that held so much meaning and hadn't been said to him with the sincerity she had doled out in…well, he couldn't even remember the least time he had heard anyone truly thank him.

Klaus stared down at her, knowing that he needed to get her to calm down, that her cries were only getting louder and would eventually draw attention to them. Something he wasn't in the mood to handle. He pushed into her mind, easily heading into her dream, and was unsurprised to find her in a classroom, Alaric standing behind her and securing a rag around her mouth. It wasn't until she screamed; trying not to inhale that Klaus realized the man had used vervain while torturing her. No doubt this had all played out less than twenty-four hours ago for her.

Manipulating the landscape was child's play to him and he erased Alaric from the picture, got rid of the rags and pencils, as well as removed the pain that Caroline had been reliving. Klaus then focused on changing the scenery, pushing back to a better memory, one that he had enjoyed, even with her harsh words and while she may not have enjoyed his presence, he knew she had enjoyed the animal's that was now standing in front of her.

Klaus could sense her surprise at the changes but she stepped toward the horse anyway, reaching out to stroke his main, not caring that her shawl dipped a little. He chose not to allow his dream self to head out to the area yet, allowing Caroline to spend time with the horse, feeling her relax, and knew that the alterations were helping.

He pulled out then, scowling at the girl who was now resting peacefully on the bed. He should be feeling pleased with himself, a whole array of satisfaction should be enveloping him, but his anger was rising again. _Why_ had he cared about lessening her pain? Why should that have even mattered? Everyone in life was dealt some. It helped strengthen everyone into what they should be. Those who couldn't handle a little pain in their lives hardly deserved to continue on living.

But her cries had elicited something deep within inside that Klaus dared not give name to. Something that he hadn't felt in far too long, could almost not quite remember what it was and he _hated_ her for it, wanted to lash out at the sleeping blonde and prove to her that she could not manipulate him. Surely that was what she had been doing. Even unconsciously she had a pull on him that he could not let continue on.

Alaric would be coming to Boston. It'd be easy enough to leave her there, to tell her the deal was off and let the hunter kill her. But just as before Klaus couldn't stomach the idea of anyone snuffing out the beauty that she represented to him. Her loyalty to her friends, showcased so nicely by the fact she had sacrificed a year of her life to save them, was something he wanted, something he _would have _and allowing Alaric to end her life would surely put a damper in that ever happening.

Klaus left the room, needing to hurt someone, needing to unleash all of the conflicted emotions boiling up inside of him on someone besides the baby vampire. The concierge was leaving the building, looping a scarf around his neck as he headed out the front door and Klaus grinned, pleased that that one would be his target. He stalked the man for half a block, not wanting to get too far from Caroline, before easily grabbing the pitiful being by the scarf and dragging him toward the nearest alley.

It happened faster than the human eye could see, Klaus' fangs tearing into the man's throat before he could protest, before he could make so much as a squeak. The life drained out of him and Klaus dropped him, letting his lifeless body fall to the ground. He reached down, picking up the scarf to wipe at his face, not wanting anyone in the hotel to wonder why he had blood on his face as he headed back to it. His anger was at least a little abated.

Klaus headed directly to the room, finding Caroline curled up on her side again, though this time with a smile instead of whimpering. The light of the TV shown across her features, highlighting them in the darkened room, and Klaus wondered what she would look like as the sun rose, morning sunshine streaking in through the window to dance across her skin. It might be a good idea to get a sketchbook when they landed. Or perhaps he'd find a decent one at the airport that he could use for the lengthy flight.

But enough sleeping, it was time to get the hell out of the United States, to get as far away from that annoying hunter and begin his plan of wooing the pretty little baby vampire. Not to mention locating a few of the older werewolf packs across the Atlantic to pull into his blooming hybrid army. "Time to get up, sweetheart," Klaus stated, not surprised that all it took was touching her arm for Caroline to bolt upright.

She looked confused for a moment, unsure of where she was and what was happening. Klaus watched the emotions play across her face as it all came crashing back in, as she remembered her deal and the circumstances that had brought her there. He expected her to glare at him, to showcase her irritation at the matter, but when she looked at him there was more confusion and then a realization mixed with something he couldn't quite name but was infinitely gentler than he thought he'd receive.

"I need to change," she murmured and Klaus didn't like the softness there, once again remembering that damn thank you from hours before.

"By all means. I think I'd rather enjoy that little show." He grinned at her, letting his gaze travel over her curves.

She scoffed at that, the moment clearly broken and Klaus was grateful for that, needing that fine balance of scorn back in her presence as she grabbed her suitcase and headed to the bathroom. He pulled out a new shirt from his suitcase, smelling the flecks of blood on the one he was currently wearing. After changing into that he got the cooler ready for the blood bags, fastening on the biohazard stickers and making sure he had the appropriate paperwork in his pocket. At least the two hybrids had secured that along with the passports that were needed.

Fifteen minutes later and Caroline emerged from the bathroom, her hair swept up into a ponytail and wearing a dress and boots, makeup done as well. She took one look at the cooler he held and grimaced. It was a stark reminder of why she was with him and all that had been happening and was still likely to happen again at some point.

"Shall we?" Klaus extended his arm for her to exit the room first, chuckling as she rolled her eyes.

"Like I really have a choice," she muttered and he headed out after her, closing the door behind them.

"You have plenty of choices, Caroline. You simply don't always like the ones presented to you even if they might enrich your life a great deal," Klaus replied, as he headed toward the elevator. "But you always have a choice."

He quite liked her answering glare, enjoyed all that passion that wrapped itself so tightly around her, engulfing her in its waves. He couldn't wait to bring more of it out of her and to see more intimate sides to it; confident he'd chip away at her resolve and break down all of those walls that kept him from getting what he craved from her. He had a year to do so but Klaus doubted that he would need that long, not with the Mystic Falls gang so far away, unable to remind her how she needed to be the 'good little vampire' of their motley crew. He would show her all that could be hers, what it truly meant to be a _good vampire_, and unleash that passion in ways that would benefit him to the fullest.

It was going to be quite the journey and he honestly couldn't wait to begin it.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Happy Klaroline Wednesday!**

**I hope it's a good one for all of you! Here is the next part.**

* * *

Airports were definitely not as magical as the movies had portrayed them. There were no running hugs, no heartfelt goodbyes, or tearful reunions that Caroline could see. Maybe it was because they were taking such an early morning flight that most of the shops in the terminal weren't even open, half the people at their gate looking like they were ready to fall back asleep. But Caroline was an abundance of energy, partially because she had no intention of sleeping again after her nightmares…that had shifted into something else and she had a feeling the Hybrid sitting beside her was to thank for that…but also because she really wanted to experience it all.

Except maybe any crying babies. She could really do without that for… "How longs our flight?"

"About eleven hours with a stop in London and then onward to our destination," Klaus informed her, looking back down at his phone. Someone was obviously texting him again. Probably about the hybrids.

Eleven hours? What was she supposed to do cooped up on a plane for eleven hours? She couldn't even stand being cooped up in class for fifty minutes. Thankfully one of the shops that served something besides coffee seemed to be opening. "I need travel necessities."

"Might I suggest you try and use your gifts to get you some?" Klaus kept his focus on the phone, typing back a message, pressing his lips back together, annoyance radiating off of him.

"I am not compelling anyone in the damn airport. Like…security cameras!" Unless he meant her breasts and she wasn't using those either. "Do you really want to try and entertain me for eleven hours on a plane with tiny space?"

"I can think of a number of ways I'd enjoy relieving your boredom," he mused, without looking at her again.

She crossed her arms in annoyance, unsurprised by his answer. She had really left herself open for that kind of response. Thankfully he offered up a wad of bills and Caroline took it, eyes widening at the amount in her hand. "You use actual money? I seriously thought you just went around compelling everyone." Or threatening. Or a mixture of the two.

"I was on the run from my father as well as Elijah for a time in the last century, Caroline. A time when cameras, video, and other annoying means of tracking someone around the globe became more common place. There were times when necessity demanded I blend in more than I care to." Klaus picked up the phone, answering the call. "Go buy what you need, but do hurry; we should be boarding in thirty minutes."

Caroline nodded and hurried over to the shop, trying to find something that would be at least mildly entertaining. She was so going to invest in a new iPod when they arrived in Scotland. Too bad she hadn't thought of that before they arrived at the airport. Oh well.

Twenty minutes later and she had a bag full of magazines that she liked or thought might be mildly interesting, some snacks, a book she'd wanted to read, a travel magazine and other odds and ends. Klaus was still on the phone, chatting away with whoever had called and she was happy that at least this time he didn't look as though he was about to burst at the seams. That really wouldn't do well with all the other people around. Who knew what scene he might be able to cause.

She shifted her belongings around in the carry-on bag, reorganizing everything so that it fit better and was more easily accessible. By the time she was done, Klaus was off the phone and at her side, picking up his own bag. "Time to go," he told her, motioning toward the gate and the attendant who was calling for first class passengers.

_Of course_ he'd splurged for those tickets. It was her first time ever getting on a plane, she was pretty sure she'd have been just fine in economy. Considering that she was with Klaus and didn't really want him to eat the entire plane, maybe it was a good thing they were going to be in the cabin with less people. Some random guy leaning back too far in his seat might cause a riot that she really didn't want to handle.

Caroline could feel Klaus watching her as they walked down the walkway toward the plane, no doubt trying to see her reaction to everything. Part of her wanted to hide away her feelings, to push down her excitement over all the things she was seeing, but she didn't really see the point in it. She was stuck with him for a year and down playing how she felt for that long just seemed pointless. After all, _she_ had made the deal and wouldn't it be better if she let herself have some fun and enjoy it all?

It wasn't really a betrayal to do any of that, was it? Would her friends expect her to be miserable the entire time? Was it disloyal of her not to be? She really wasn't sure, conflicted about which way she should go. But maybe for the other passengers' sake she should just let her emotions be genuine and not try and hide it all away, no doubt annoying the Hybrid at her side. No need to get all the others eaten because she pretended to sulk. Just because she was enjoying her first time on a plane didn't mean she was enjoying time with Klaus. So not the same thing.

At least that was what Caroline was going to keep on telling herself as she sat down on the entirely too comfortable seat and took in all of the gadgets around her. She would just ignore the insufferably smug individual sitting next to her, entirely too proud of himself for her excitement.

She took out the travel magazine as they waited for the others to board, flipping through it as Klaus stowed away his own bag and picked up hers to do the same. She was circling different destinations she saw inside of it that piqued her interest as he sat back down. "Interesting reading material, love."

"Well, I'm going to be with you for a year so I might as well enjoy it," she quipped, not bothering to look at him as she flipped through, looking at the article about fun sights to see in Prague.

"That's the spirit," Klaus murmured and leaned across her to push the window shade up. "Though I doubt it will only be a year. Once you see what this world has to offer, Caroline, I doubt you will be able return to that tiny town and those simple dreams of yours." He tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "You were made for so much more."

Caroline looked over at him and rolled her eyes, trying not to think about how she almost had to force that reaction. "Maybe, but all you're getting of me is one year. I probably can do more with my life now and I will. But nothing says that I have to include _you_ in it after our deal is finished."

"We shall see." Klaus' gaze darkened for a minute and she held her ground, not cowering at the swift change in his mood. He simply grinned at that. "Buckle up."

It was going to be a long ride.

* * *

Picking the first destination in the end had come down to two particular criteria. One, it needed not be in the Americas considering that Alaric was no doubt already on the hunt for himself and his siblings. And two, it needed to be somewhere he'd heard rumors that there was a werewolf pack nearby. Klaus might not have had an infinite supply of the doppelgangers blood and he might also be trying to get under little Caroline Forbes' skin and burrow his way into her heart and soul, but that didn't mean he was about to stop building his hybrid army.

If anything, the threat of Alaric meant he needed them more than ever. They would be a wonderful way to ensure his siblings and his survival from the abomination their mother had created and a lovely way to bolster his own power and need for others like himself. His family might have been working on mending fences, but Klaus wasn't an idiot. They had done that a time or two through the centuries, and while they might not have Mikael chasing after them now, he doubted that it would be any different than the last dozen times.

Kol would get bored or annoyed and run off to do his own thing after a decade or two. Elijah would disappear for a time to spend time with Katherine, fooling no one as to his whereabouts, and Rebekah would go through suitors that were never good enough for her as she claimed to never want to leave him all the while trying to find the perfect candidate to start over with.

Perhaps he would allow it this time, though most likely he'd end up daggering the lot of them if they became too reckless for his taste. Especially with Alaric hunting for them. So Klaus would create hybrids and…he looked at the blonde walking next to him as they entered the lobby of the Scotsman hotel, watching Caroline look around, her awe at the place causing him to grin. He wasn't entirely sure what he would do with the girl aside from his plan to show her the world and inevitably get her out of his system.

"You so don't know the meaning of like normal, do you?" Caroline asked as they headed toward the elevator, following the bellhop who had their luggage.

"I know it quite well, Caroline," Klaus started, locking his gaze with hers. "However, I am not normal, nor do I wish to ever be so. You are not normal either and I think it's high time you realize that."

"It's not going to work," she murmured, motioning at everything around them. "I can't be bought. You should know that by now."

Klaus arched a brow at that, ignoring the curious lad as he wheeled the luggage onto the elevator. "I'm well aware of that fact. But I am also accustomed to a certain lifestyle and I see no reason to shortchange myself because you haven't quite realized your worth."

She rolled her eyes and he wasn't surprised at all by the gesture. It was something he'd noted that she did when she was trying to dismiss what he was telling her, when what he said struck a chord in her that she wasn't ready to acknowledge.

"Would you rather we stay at a hostel, Caroline? At some rundown establishment covered with roaches and where you would need to wear shoes while showering?" Klaus continued amused by how she shivered at the thought. "I thought not. So what is troubling you so? The fact that this is something you could enjoy, the fact that you are already enjoying yourself, or are you worried that you'll become accustomed to it?"

She didn't look at him, her gaze locked on the elevator buttons and Klaus stepped closer to her. "I have a feeling it's a little from each option, even if you did say you wanted to enjoy yourself. You are afraid of doing so. No doubt wondering what those so-called friends of yours will think of you having fun with the Big Bad," Klaus continued and she scoffed, finally looking at him again.

"You should seriously not go around calling yourself that," she tsked, shaking her head at him. "I am pretty sure it's demeaning to villains everywhere. You probably have to pay a fine now."

"Do you know what I find to be so curious?" Klaus asked, ignoring her attempt at humor to deflect the conversation.

"I don't really care but I'm sure you'll tell me anyway," she sighed, and he grinned.

"How long do you think it would have taken the witch to do a locating spell if I had done this same deal with Elena? Ten minutes? An hour tops?" Klaus watched her closely, seeing her try to keep her impeccable shell up but her eyes told a different story. He could see the momentary flicker of doubt, the wondering why they hadn't done the same for her.

"There's no reason to look for me. I chose to come with you," Caroline pointed out and Klaus shrugged.

"Do you really think that would have mattered if it had been her?" Klaus continued, watching a variety of emotions play across her face.

"It doesn't matter," Caroline bit out, glaring at him and it sounded a lot like _I don't matter _to him for a moment. "I know what you're trying to do and you can just stop it. My friends aren't stupid. They know I'm safe and you're not exactly going to drain me of blood so you can make your own little army and they've got crazy Ric to deal with. So priorities and all. If you had Elena, we all know you'd be draining her of blood, not working to get into her pants. Which, sorry, but _so never_ going to happen."

The elevator doors opened and she headed off to their room. Klaus watched her go, enjoying the indignant sway of her hips as she angrily stalked off, waiting impatiently at the door for it to be opened. He slid the card into the holder, chuckling as she yanked the door opened and headed into the suite, leaving him alone with the uncertain bellhop.

"You can leave them where they are now," Klaus told him, eyes beginning to dilate as he began to use compulsion. "And you will forget the conversation you just heard between us and think that Caroline and I are nothing but a happy little couple ready to enjoy our first time in Edinburgh."

With that out of the way he followed Caroline into the suite, hearing the door close as he walked. He found her at the window, already having opened it and gazing out at the streets below. Klaus quite enjoyed watching her, trying to figure out precisely what was going on in that head of hers. Half the time his assessment was correct, but more often than not she was able to completely surprise him. It was one of the reasons he was drawn to her, he knew that. He found her to be quite fascinating. Her level of control for one so young would have been inspiring if not for the fact he found her denying parts of her nature, not fully allowing herself to experience everything.

Klaus had been certain he would have easily won her over with his charming facade, regaling her with his old world charm and talk of the world. He could see the wanderlust in her eyes, this beauty that had been turned into darkness and still managed to hold onto her light. It was amazing, something he had rarely seen in his thousand years, and he wanted it all for himself.

He would probably end up draining that lovely light from her, no doubt she'd turn out madder than Mary had, but Klaus would be sure to treasure every moment he had with Caroline before she burned out. If she did so. She was a lot stronger than he had originally thought and honestly, that only drew him more to her. Like a moth to a flame he couldn't seem to push her out of his mind and he had every intention of getting what he wanted from her. No matter how long it took.

"So what now?" Caroline asked, not bothering to look back at him, but he knew she felt her presence by the way she stiffened.

"I have a few things to take care of while we're here but there's no reason to worry about that right now," Klaus started, clasping his hands behind his back as she turned around, frowning. No doubt she had an inkling of what he might be looking to do. The cooler of blood was only a few feet away and he needed to move it to the fridge before they left. "Freshen up and I'll take you to your first real castle."

There was that sparkle in her eyes at the mention of it and Klaus wondered how many fairytales Caroline had read as a child. How many times she had thought of herself as the darling princess in them, waiting to become the queen. No doubt she had never thought she would become one of the monsters that waited around in the night to gobble up the various royalties and steal their crowns.

"Alright," she murmured and headed off to grab her suitcase and head toward the bathroom.

Klaus watched her go. He was going to enjoy showing her that even monsters could wear those crowns, could rule the world. She could have it all, if only she would take what she wanted. He knew it was possible with how she ran that little squad of hers back in Mystic Falls, from the fact she had gotten her tiny crown as Miss Mystic Falls, and who even knew how many committees she was chair of at that high school. But those were all trivial human concerns and Klaus meant to show her how to adjust all of that to the real world, to her new lot in life. To tempt her and get her to give into those temptations, into _him_. Was that really too much to ask?

He didn't think so.

Perhaps his charm hadn't worked at the ball; it had been rather soon after asking Tyler to bite the girl, that didn't mean it wouldn't work now. And Klaus had every intention of doing whatever was needed to have Caroline in his bed before the year was over. Otherwise he didn't know how he would get her out of his system and he was not about to allow her to become a weakness. He would kill her before that ever happened.

But enough thoughts of death, they had a castle to tour and then perhaps it would be time to get her off that bagged diet and show her the benefits to something a little more fresh.

* * *

"You were so close to getting us kicked out," Caroline groused as they left the castle, shaking her head at Klaus. "I mean its one thing to joke about giving me the damn crown jewels. It's another to be completely serious about it and detail how you'd go about doing it _in front of the damn security._"

Thank god they hadn't been on vervain. She'd easily compelled them to forget the conversation, happy no one else had been in the area at the time. Klaus looked all too eager to rip out hearts or whatever his specialty was for killing humans. Maybe just draining them dry. She didn't know and she had no intention in finding out that day either.

"I've never felt a need for a crown on my head. They're so easily torn off by another," Klaus replied, heading back toward the bustling streets. "Kingdoms have risen and fell at my feet more times than I can count, Caroline. I simply thought the necklace would look marvelous on you."

"The knockoff in the store would so have sufficed," she muttered, catching up to him. Like hell was she going to trail after him.

"It would hardly have done you justice," Klaus told her and she sighed, knowing she was going to need to get used to all the tiny little words of praise toward her. "Have you ever stopped to wonder why you seem to balk every time I find you of more worth than you deem yourself?"

"Probably because I seriously doubt your sincerity." It was the truth. With all the people Klaus must have seen in his long life, the fact he seemed to find her interesting was really hard to swallow. It was flattering, there was no doubt about that, but it also made her suspicious. What could possibly be his motive? She was still surprised he'd made the deal instead of simply killing her and taking Elena away.

"Mmmm," he murmured, not expanding on whatever thought he was having and that rankled her.

"Also I find myself plenty damn worthy," she added, whipping her hair to the back as she tried to walk faster than him, not bothering with the fact that she didn't know exactly where she was headed.

It was a vacation—sort of—she didn't need to know where she was headed. "I think you haven't an inkling," Klaus continued after a few moments, following after her. "That you've lived your life in the shadow for quite a long time. Trying desperately to peak out, to rise up, and there's no doubt that it's made you stronger, having to work for every little thing you have. But it's never fun to watch someone else win the game time and time again, is it?"

She didn't like his reading of her or her relationship with others. It was probably only fair that he got to dole out some hard truths just as she had done to him before, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

"You so know how to show a girl a good time," she replied, rolling her eyes and scoffing again. She didn't expect him to grab hold of her arm and she nearly stumbled over, but he kept her upright, gaze bearing down into her own.

"By all means, Caroline, allow me to show you an actual good time," he suggested, and she cocked her head as if contemplating the idea. "One that our kind would enjoy, that we could revel in ways that no human would ever understand." Yellow tinged his eyes and she could feel her fangs wanting to descend, ready to come out and play. "Let go."

She stared at him for a long moment, all thought of easily brushing him off gone as she swallowed. Her mind was ablaze with ideas of what all of that could mean, some of it frightening, most of it something she thought she barely understood, and some of it she yearned to do even if she couldn't allow herself to go that far.

"No."

"Pity," Klaus sighed, pulling back from her. "I'm going to get a bite to eat. You're free to join me or head back to the hotel and drown your cravings in alcohol."

"You're going to kill people," she grumbled, crossing her arms as she glared at him.

"I am going to live as nature intended," Klaus replied, and she shook her head.

"Bullshit. You do not need to kill in order to feed," she pointed out, and as soon as he grinned she realized she had so fallen into his verbal trap.

"Then you'll have no problem coming along with me and feeding. After all you don't have to kill and you'll find blood bags to be rather scarce on this trip," Klaus informed her already turning and starting down the street.

She knew she could head back to the hotel then, she'd eventually find it. She was halfway ready to do that when Klaus turned back to look at her. "Though I must say, the chances of me killing do increase dramatically if you're not there at my side."

Asshole.

It shouldn't be her problem. They wouldn't be anyone she knew so she had no interest in saving them, but she could just imagine her mother's face if she told her that. And even an ocean away Caroline didn't want to disappoint Liz Forbes.

"You suck," Caroline muttered as she caught up with him, knowing she was probably going to regret her decision but she'd make him pay for bringing her along. One way or another, she'd make sure that Klaus didn't enjoy himself at all.

What was the worse that could happen?


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Here is the next part. I have nothing witty. I am exhausted. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

Klaus could practically see the apprehension rolling off Caroline as he led her into the nightclub. They'd easily passed by the bouncer, hadn't even needed to use compulsion to get the two of them inside. There was simply something about the way he carried himself after being in power for so many centuries that often easily opened the doors to these types of places. When one exuded dominance the way that he and his siblings tended to questions weren't asked, IDs weren't needed and the velvet ropes were often pulled aside to allow them access.

He slid an arm around Caroline's waist as soon as they were inside, partly to keep a better eye on her in the crowded space but mostly because he wanted to feel her right there next to him. To feel her perfect curves that he had wanted to touch for far too long in his opinion. Not to mention the way she tensed at the touch, steely gaze quickly directed at him changing to a roll of her eyes when all he did was smirk in response was always gratifying. Klaus couldn't help that he enjoyed her spitfire personality that she had underneath all of that impeccable control.

"What are you in the mood for?" Klaus asked, leading her toward the bar so they could get a better look at the place. "I remember hearing that you enjoy B+. Unfortunately I'm unable to see who has that particular type of blood running through their veins." He felt her shiver against his hand that was gently rubbing the curve of her hip, sliding up her jeans to tease at the sliver of skin between her bottoms and the top she wore. "Male or female? A particular hair color?"

"Let me guess, you favor blondes," she bit out, pushing his hand off of her body.

"Brunettes more often than not," Klaus told her, highly amused by her shrug at that. "There's only one blonde that I'm interested in."

"Your lines are seriously as old as you are," Caroline murmured, crossing her arms against her chest.

"And you're avoiding what we've come here to do," Klaus pointed out, invading her personal space as he leaned toward her. "I know you hear it. The song of their blood rushing as they dance to the music, as they taunt one another with their bodies, most of them working toward a similar rush. I know it calls to you." He tucked back a strand of her hair and then ghosted one finger along her jawline and up to her lips that were locked in a grimace. "Just like I'm sure your pretty little fangs are dying to come out and play."

"Just because they want to doesn't mean that they should," she replied, smacking his hand.

Anyone else and he would have severed their head for doing so, perhaps merely snapped their neck, but with Caroline it only caused him to grin. He didn't want her to cower from him, liked that she felt comfortable enough to act as she did, even when it irritated him to no end.

"And I'm not doing this with you. This is not who I am and just because I'm with you for a freaking year doesn't mean I'll become like you," she snapped, and Klaus continued to grin, arching an eyebrow at her as she started her tirade. That fight in her gaze that seemed to surround her whenever she got like this was one of the things that drew him so closely to her. This spark was something he hadn't seen in entirely too long, hadn't felt this kind of pull toward anyone in far longer than he could remember, and he was beginning to realize that he didn't want it to end.

"I don't drink from humans. I don't compel for my blood source. I don't manipulate people like that. I don't _need_ to be like that." There was something in her gaze then that he couldn't quite pinpoint, an emotion he couldn't quite name, but it was gone before he could decipher it. "So either you'll work with me to get what I need to survive or you'll get to deal with a very grouchy me who isn't going to freaking leave the hotel room. And will eventually desiccate and that'd suck. Kind of puts a big old stop to that dream you have of getting into my pants. Up to you."

Klaus glared at her for that. Not liking the ultimatum she was trying to put on him. She wasn't allowed to be the one in control. This was _his_ game, not hers. "I'm going back to the hotel. Feed from the whole place. I don't care."

She turned on her heel and Klaus grabbed hold of her arm, stopping her exit. "What? Are you going to force me to stay? Are you going to compel me and make everything be just as fake as every other relationship you have?" she demanded, and while he could smell her fear Caroline didn't waver in her harsh gaze, didn't show how terrified she was of that in any of her features.

_You don't connect with people because you don't even try to understand them._ Her words from the ball echoed in his mind. Klaus released his grip on her, watching her make her way back toward the door and could feel the fury rising within him. No, he wouldn't force anything from her, couldn't seem to allow that to happen. He didn't want to sully what she was even if he wanted it all from her, to consume every part of her.

Klaus didn't want Caroline to become another Stefan. One who he had bonded with and eventually had to break, to lose to the chaos of time because of circumstances out of his control that he'd tried to manipulate with compulsion. Mikael might have been dead but that certainly didn't mean the threats to his own life were over. Not with Alaric out there and the existence of the white oak stake.

He wanted her, though he couldn't quite figure out _why _he did so. Why he wanted to show her the world was beyond him. This need he had to show her that the small town she had grown up in was nothing compared to what she could have, what he would give her if she'd only give into him, was something he couldn't seem to squash. If anything it only seemed to grow and he couldn't help but despise it a little. It was overriding some of his common sense, some of his usual tactics, and having him work to learn who she was, what she liked, actually attempt to get to know her. And not because he wanted to use her in some scheme like he'd done with countless others before.

Klaus hadn't become intrigued by Caroline because she would get him closer to Elena, nor because she could be handy on controlling Tyler who had become rather unruly lately. He had been interested in the girl in the bed, the strong little thing who he had begun to see parallels with himself after digging into her history just a little.

This small town girl who was meant for a wider world, pushed into a label that didn't quite define her. Tortured by her father, apparently discounted by her mother, always seeming to feel second best to one nowhere near as special as she truly was. Friended and even loved Tyler who should have been her mortal enemy considering the relationship between most werewolves and vampires. Always seeking to be in control.

He should have bedded her months ago and then drank her dry before shoving a stake through her heart or decapitating her. But the thought of ending her life wasn't sitting well with him either, though the idea of feeding from her was stirring up a whole bunch of new possibilities that he wouldn't mind exploring once she finally submitted. He had enjoyed when she'd sank her fangs into him while he'd healed her all those months back and wouldn't mind sinking his into her tender flesh.

But for now he would quench his thirst and his anger on some unsuspecting stranger before heading back to the hotel. Perhaps he'd be nice and pick up some blood bags along the way. She couldn't possibly throw that gift in his face.

* * *

To say that Caroline was livid was probably the understatement of the century. She didn't want to feed from anyone; she didn't _need_ to do so. Maybe it had felt amazing the few times she had done so—once before she had any sort of control and the other time to help her friends out—but that hadn't dissuaded the guilt that had nearly overwhelmed her afterward. She might have enjoyed it but every single time she thought back to Damon, back to being that helpless girl in her bedroom, trying to quietly sneak out, afraid of what was going to happen, only to be so viciously attacked by him repeatedly.

She had felt so small, so vulnerable in those moments. He had made her feel like she was nothing important, nothing of consequences, just something to screw around with as he pleased, a living doll and nothing more. She didn't ever want to make anyone else feel that helpless. Not after she'd survived it all and come out stronger.

Maybe it made her less of a vampire to not feed on anyone but it made her feel more human, it made her think that her father had been right in his assessment of her as he was waiting to die, even of Klaus' assessment of her at the ball. Feeding for pleasure or just because she could seemed like it would ruin all of that, turn her into exactly the kind of monster she despised. Caroline knew she might have become one, but that didn't mean she had to be like Damon. He was a different breed.

She had no idea where the hotel was, couldn't quite remember how they had gotten to the castle and then their venture to the club had completely turned her around. It was late and there weren't too many people out on the streets and most that were appeared to be inebriated to her or hurried past before she even thought to ask for directions.

Caroline figured if she kept walking she would eventually come across it, just happy to be away from Klaus and his unending need to tempt her, to provoke her. She really didn't know how she was supposed to survive a year with him, but she knew that she would. He was not allowed to be the end of her.

And she really did need to call her mom.

Even if she couldn't quite face her friends on the phone just yet, Caroline knew she needed to let Liz know that she was okay. Her mom deserved that much at least since she hadn't given her a proper goodbye.

"Look what we have here," came a voice to her left and Caroline sighed, really not in the mood to be hit on.

"Not interested," she muttered, deliberately not looking toward the voice as she continued heading down the street.

"Then you shouldn't have wandered into our territory," the same voice called, and Caroline stiffened at that, taking a deep breath.

Werewolves. Definitely more than one. She would recognize that scent anywhere now.

_Great._

"Didn't know it was yours," Caroline tried, still moving but not surprised when three men headed into her path, three more boxing in behind her and still two more on either side of her. "Seriously? I'm just trying to go back to my hotel room."

"Vampires aren't welcome in this city," one of them said.

"We got a strict policy on that," another commented, though she noted that he didn't seem to mind checking out her ass.

"Maybe you should put that on google then. Stamp it on the sign that practically says 'Welcome to Edinburgh' cause I so did not get that memo," Caroline replied, knowing her smart mouth wasn't going to be helping any but she really couldn't stop herself once she got going.

"Seems like someone needs a lesson in manners," one remarked and Caroline sighed. She was so not in the mood for the macho display. She already had to deal with one Alpha male on a constant basis; she really didn't need any others trying to exude that essence around her as well.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure that'd be you since you can't let a lady walk down the street without bothering her," Caroline pointed out as she tried to assess the best way to get away from the group.

"Don't see any ladies around here," replied one. "Only an about to be dead vampire."

Caroline flashed her fangs then, knowing she would need to knock them off balance if she wanted to try and make a run for it. She threw all of her might into one of them, tossing the one next to him to the side. He hit the wall with a loud smack and she was about to flash off when she felt teeth sink into her arm, the venom quickly starting to work its way through her system.

She slammed that one back as well, sending him off of her as she tried not to stumble. She was not allowed to die on some random street in Edinburgh; that much she knew. She was not going down without a fight, no matter the poison that was in her veins. "Bitch," one of them growled and she readied herself to try and snap his neck or fling him away, sensing he was about to lunge at her.

He never got the opportunity and Caroline wasn't sure why at first. She looked around, trying to focus, to keep her balance, and finally spotted Klaus who was quickly disposing of the lot of them. "I allow you out of my sights for thirty minutes," he grumbled, and Caroline had never been so happy to see him even if he was severing heads and other limbs from the group.

She leaned against the wall, watching one try to run in the other direction, the rest of his friends dead on the ground. Klaus was on him in seconds though Caroline noticed that he wasn't killing this one. Instead he was talking to him and if she had more control of her senses in that moment she might have made out what he was saying. But she slid down the wall, landing on the ground with a thud.

Klaus was at her side in seconds or maybe that was a hallucination. Her mother kneeling beside her was definitely one. But Klaus scooping her up as carefully as he could, holding her gently in his arms had to be one as well. "I have you, sweetheart," she thought she heard him murmur before they were moving.

The next thing she knew she was laying on a bed and Klaus was sitting beside her, biting into his own wrist before pulling her toward him. He didn't say a word as he pressed his wound to her mouth and she greedily sucked, hands wrapping around his forearm as she drank. Vaguely she realized he was stroking her hair, that he was murmuring something to her as his blood ran through her, curing the poison that was trying to overcome her.

Exhaustion eventually pulled her down and she fell asleep, not realizing how long he stayed with her, needing to make sure his blood was working, keeping a tight grip on her as he continued to brush her hair.

* * *

Once he was certain that all of the werewolf venom was out of Caroline's system, that she was actually sleeping soundly, Klaus finally released his hold on her and left her alone in the bedroom. Finding her surrounded by werewolves had been aggravating enough though he had enjoyed ending that problem even if he would have preferred turning every last one of them. But one had lived and that one would easily lead Klaus to the rest of the pack that was in the area. Seeing that Caroline had been bit though, that had made him see red.

It was one thing for him to have planned it, to know he would be nearby with the cure while he had tested Tyler's bond and gotten what he needed from the Sheriff, not having any real connection to the girl yet. But what if he hadn't left the bar when he did? What if he hadn't bothered to track her by her scent, confident that she hadn't found the hotel yet and knowing he should find her? What if he had simply let her wander about for the night?

The what-if scenarios were driving him up the wall, fueling his anger and he didn't know where to direct it. He couldn't at Caroline who was sleeping. Nor did he want to at the wolf compelled to sit on the couch and not say a word. He needed him for now, had every intention of turning him and siring the boy.

Klaus stalked out toward the boy, silently shaking in fear on the couch, eyes widening in horror as he was spotted. It was gratifying to see. "You will not move from here unless someone comes into this room to do harm to her. And then you will do whatever it takes to make sure she lives, even if you die," Klaus informed the man, watching the compulsion take hold before he left the room and headed toward the elevator.

Thankfully he didn't have to wait long, nor did he even have to take it, pleased when a young couple stumbled off the elevator, clearly inebriated. Not to mention the lack of surveillance on the floor was quite helpful considering his intentions.

Following them back to their room was simple enough and no invitation was needed as he offered to hold open their door so they could stumble inside, easily following them in. While he would have preferred to hear their screams as he killed them, Klaus didn't want to risk alerting anyone to their deaths just yet, nor did he wish to wake Caroline. So he compelled them to be silent and not to run, forcing one to watch the other die before ending that one as well.

Blood stained his shirt and face, he knew he must have looked like quite a sight, and went to the bathroom to wash it off, easily getting rid of the remains of it on his face and simply removing the shirt to destroy later.

He headed back to his suite, bloodlust satisfied for the moment, anger momentarily abated and pleased to find the werewolf still sitting on the couch, hearing Caroline asleep on the bed, unharmed.

"You and I are going to have a lovely little chat, mate," Klaus informed the young man, heading toward the refrigerator. He took out one of the blood bags and poured some of it into one of the champagne flutes on the table with the complimentary champagne he hadn't opened yet. Securing the rest of the blood in the fridge he turned back to the young man, noting the confusion on the boys' face. "I'm sure you sense the vampire in me. Probably also pick up on that wolf, don't you?"

He sat down across from the young man, placing the flute down out of the boy's reach. "I know the rumors spread out around the US already but I'm not sure it's crossed the seas just yet," Klaus continued, watching the young man. "I've got a bit of both in me, vampire, werewolf. An actual living hybrid and by the time I am through with you I'll know precisely where your little pack is." He waved his hand. "Feel free to respond."

"Like hell," the boy started and Klaus simply grinned, amused at the outburst.

"You'll be singing a very different tune in a few moments." Klaus forced his own blood down the boy's throat, watching him sputter and try to figure out what was happening. And then he snapped the boy's neck. It shouldn't be too long after that and he'd have one newly sired hybrid.

And hopefully one grateful blonde vampire upon waking as well, but he wasn't about bet on that outcome just yet. He never could quite tell how Caroline would react sometimes and had a feeling this would be one of those circumstances. He glanced down at the dead wolf on the floor and then toward the open bedroom door, seeing her asleep on the bed. They would have to cut their stay at the hotel short after what he had done but once the boy woke the mission to find the pack would begin and Caroline would be coming along whether she wanted to or not.

Klaus would simply need to make certain that they knew not to harm her. That would be easy enough to put into effect once the pack was sired to him and until then he could use compulsion as could Caroline if she desired. And wouldn't that be something to see?


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Thanks so much for all of the reviews, faves, follows. I'm glad people are enjoying this story.

Just a head's up that I may not update as regularly until June. End of the school year so I've got papers to grade and all of that fun stuff but summer is almost here and I'll get tons of writing done then.

And on with the story :)

* * *

Something was wrong; Caroline knew it as soon as she had begun to wake. The covers weren't right, the fabric different than she was used to, and she couldn't pinpoint her mother's heartbeat, hearing too many other ones nearby instead. It took her a moment to realize what all had happened, that she wasn't back in her bedroom, that she wasn't even close to Mystic Falls anymore.

No, she was in a hotel room, one with sheets with a thread count higher than she'd ever felt before. In a city she'd never even thought of visiting except maybe in her wilder dreams, when the sky was the limit and she didn't have to worry about anyone else. Her hand moved to rub at where the bite mark had been, feeling only her smooth skin, and she could still taste Klaus' blood in her mouth and swallowed hard, wanting it out, forcing her facial features not to alter, willing her fangs to remain where they needed to be.

"I wondered how long you would be out," Klaus murmured and Caroline bolted upright in the bed. She'd felt his presence, could sense that he was nearby, but she'd assumed he was in the next room. Not in the bedroom that was clearly marked as _hers_.

But there he was, sitting on an overstuffed chair, sketchbook propped up on his knee and pencil darting about on the paper. He wasn't even looking at her, his focus on whatever he was creating. It was almost normal, almost something Caroline could swear she'd seen a thousand times over on television or in the movies. But this wasn't a romantic comedy. He wasn't the charming hero and she wasn't the beautiful girl being wooed. If anything this was a horror movie, or a tragedy. Maybe both. She thought it might be both.

She glanced over at the clock on the bedside table, unable to look at him any longer, and noted the time. "Not as long as I was the first time I was bit." The harshness in her voice there to be a reminder that she hadn't forgotten or forgiven that moment. Maybe Tyler had been the one to do it but there was no mistaking that the idea had come from the monster sitting so calmly in front of her. "I was given your blood a lot quicker though."

Maybe that made the difference. She didn't know. It wasn't like she was going to do any personal research to find out. Two werewolf bites in one lifetime was more than enough for her. "Why are you in here anyway?"

Klaus finally looked up, arching a brow at her. "This is _our_ hotel room, Caroline. I wasn't aware that I needed permission to enter certain parts of it."

"Well, you do. I'm like your guest. You should ask permission," she pointed out, not liking when he set the sketchbook down and rose.

"Not quite. We made a deal that has you with me for a year," Klaus reminded, and for her credit she didn't slink back in the bed when he approached her. He might have oozed power by just being him, had an air of importance and danger that always seemed to surround him, but she wasn't frightened. She also strongly believed that he wouldn't ever force himself on her, nor did she think he'd use compulsion. If he was going to do either thing, Caroline figured he would have done it by then.

"_Traveling_ with you," she corrected, displeased with how he'd tried to make it sound. "And yeah, I know."

Whatever Klaus had been ready to say or do was interrupted by the sounds in the next room, and Caroline watched the smile blossom on the Hybrid's face. The elation she saw there worried her. Someone groaning in pain and confusion shouldn't cause that kind of happiness in anyone. She followed him out into the living area, stopping in the threshold when she saw one of the wolves from last night on the couch, clawing at his face.

"What did you do to me?" the boy cried, body shaking and she was instantly reminded of that night in the school, of Tyler's transformation into a hybrid.

"I'm giving you an opportunity to garner some forgiveness from me. To become something far greater than you already are," Klaus informed him, walking over to the boy and pushing him back onto the chair. "Caroline, love, put some of the blood in this." He held out the small vial for her, didn't bother to look back at her as he did so.

She didn't want to take it, wanted to tell him to go to hell and that he could do his little hybrid mission all on his own. She wasn't coming up with any reason not to do that either, confident that annoying Klaus didn't equal a death sentence for her. "Get it yourself."

Klaus tensed and Caroline _knew_ he hadn't appreciated that response, that she probably wouldn't like his reaction. "Either you get it for me, Caroline, or poor—what was your name again? I don't think I asked. Doesn't really matter anyway," Klaus continued, glancing back at her, and while he smiled it was anything but pleasant, sending shivers down her spine. "I'll let him loose. He won't transition to a hybrid and he'll end up dying, but all of the rest of those on this floor will suffer the consequences because of your stubbornness."

Just beyond the doorway Caroline could hear a family heading toward the elevator, could hear the sound of children's voices. "I wonder if he'll have the parents watch their children die or have the children see their parent's demise?" Klaus mused, and Caroline snatched the vial from his hand, glaring at him before she moved to fill it. "That's my girl."

She handed off the vial of blood, so close to smashing into his hand, but she didn't want to risk the family's life, or any of the others because she couldn't control her emotions. She turned on her heel as soon as she'd given it up though and headed back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her and headed to the bathroom, needing to drown out what was about to happen, to wash away the day, to try and gain back control over her own emotions.

Klaus grinned as she stomped away. He enjoyed her impassioned response, the fire that seemed to glide through her veins, making her even more divine when the monster was just beneath the surface, dying to come out and play. He always saw it clearer when she was angry, like that night at the ball when she'd thrown the bracelet in his face. He couldn't wait until he got it to truly come out and play with him.

"Now, here's the plan, mate. You can either die or you can drink this and live. It's up to you really. I don't care one way or the other too much." Klaus shrugged, holding the vial of liquid just out of the boy's reach. "I'd prefer one outcome but if not you then it'll be someone else. And you'll be but a blip in time, forgotten in seconds. Or you could dink and live, and perhaps become something great. Powerful without being beholden to the moon."

He could see the fear in the boy's eyes, could smell it coming off of him in waves, coupled along with desperation and mingling with Caroline's anger. It was a wonderful scent, one that Klaus enjoyed greatly, and he held the vial closer to the boy, seeing the acceptance in his eyes, right before he took it. "Fantastic," Klaus murmured, clapping him on the shoulder as he downed the blood.

He stepped back as the boy lurched forward in pain, bones shifting as he transitioned, no longer simply a werewolf and not quite just a vampire. A hybrid. Another to add to his collection. "Now, I need you to tell me all that you can about your pack," Klaus told the boy, feeling the sire bond begin, urging the boy to do as he asked, to please him.

Once that was done he ordered him to draw out for him on paper where the others could be located and headed back into the bedroom, grinning at the sight of Caroline exiting the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her body. "_Seriously!?_" she demanded, tightening the towel around her body which only made her curves stand out that much better.

It was a delectable sight. "We'll be leaving to locate his pack as soon as you're dressed," Klaus informed her, not surprised when she scoffed at him.

"I am so not traipsing through the unknown into a place where everyone's bite can freaking kill me," she told him, shaking her head at the idea of it. "You go and I'll stay here and take in the sights."

"Our time in this hotel has come to an end and we'll need to be gone before the maids' finish their shift." He knew they still had a few hours before the bodies down the hallway were found.

She froze, hands gripping the sides of the suitcase she'd been looking through as she glanced back at him. "What did you…?" her voice trailed off and he watched her sniff the air, no doubt locating the distinct smell of death a few doors down.

"As I said, we're leaving," Klaus replied, shrugging at what he'd done. He was a vampire. He fed and people died. That was how it was and how it would always be and the sooner she realized that the better. "And don't worry. I'll be more than happy to share a little blood with you whenever you want." If looks could kill he'd be dead a thousand times over because of her glare but all it did was egg him on, have him walking closer to her, reaching out to draw his fingers up her arm and watching the way she shivered at his touch, eyes narrowing just that bit more at the gesture. "Did the Salvatore boys ever tell you about drinking from another vampire? About what it means? About how it's a rather intimate act between two vampires."

Caroline wrenched herself back as if she'd been bit. "Guess it's a good thing you're not simply a vampire then," she hissed, and he knew she meant it as an insult, as a way to cut him down, to lash out with words as he did with teeth and hands when he was angry.

"Perhaps," Klaus murmured, taking a step back toward the door. "Or maybe my unique nature makes it even more of an intimate act. Especially when my blood has lifesaving properties."

"Yeah, cause you really need another reason for getting an even bigger ego," Caroline replied and he didn't even have to see her to know that she was rolling her eyes.

"Get dressed. We're leaving in ten," Klaus told her, heading to leave.

"I can't be ready in ten minutes!" Caroline protested. "I have to do my hair or it'll become a total mess."

Klaus didn't answer, heading out into the living area, thoroughly amused at her muttered curses. He headed over to the new hybrid and picked up the map of where they would be headed. Excellent. The list of who was a werewolf on the side an added bonus. Perhaps this one would be even more useful than he'd first thought. "Now…what is your name?"

It'd probably be beneficial to know that.

"Samael. Or Sam. I go by Sam," the boy replied quickly, fingers tapping nervously against the table he'd been working at. "But whatever you want to call me is fine…sir."

"One more task for you, Sam," Klaus told him, rolling up the paper. Sire bond would probably ensure what he wanted to happen next but Tyler had already shown that it could be broken, and Mikael had shown that compulsion could override it, so a little added compulsion of his own for the next part would be a nice bonus to ensure his will was followed.

"That little spitfire in the next room is Caroline. She's a vampire and you will make certain that no harm comes to her. You will not let another bite her, claw her, or hurt her in any way. You will do whatever you need in order to ensure her survival." He certainly couldn't get what he wanted from Caroline if she was dead and while Klaus had every intention of protecting her when they went into the wolves' area, he knew he couldn't be in every place at once and some added protection would be beneficial. "Understood?"

Klaus smiled as Sam repeated the words, glancing back toward the bedroom door where he could still hear Caroline muttering under her breath some nonsense about time and hair. He'd add another branch to his growing army of hybrids and then get Caroline out of the country and show her somewhere a bit more exotic, somewhere where he could truly work on getting those walls she had to crumble and fall so that they could engage in far more enjoyable pursuits. And then perhaps he'd answer Rebekah's messages and be ready to rejoin his family wherever they had finally decided to call home for a bit.

* * *

Caroline had no idea where they were, somewhere outside of Edinburgh, a little town that almost reminded her of Mystic Falls. It had seemed so peaceful when they'd driven into the town, even if she'd been fascinated at first by the fact that they were driving on the other side of the road, that everything in the car was that way as well. She wasn't sure how she hadn't noticed that in the cab the day before but it didn't matter in the end.

All of the tranquility of the town was destroyed in a matter of minutes once they'd gotten to the local pub that the werewolf population seemed to call their own. Caroline expected blood and carnage to ensue, for Klaus to force his blood down throats and take what he wanted from those in the bar. Wasn't it what he had done to Tyler and to Sam? She didn't know how he'd gotten the rest of his hybrids but that's what she figured must have happened.

Except he was buying them drinks and showing that charming, schmoozing side that she'd seen out before when he deemed it useful. Drawing them in like a spider to a fly and she couldn't help but remember that old tale and wonder how none of them realized they were about to be eaten.

It took her a few moments to realize that some of those who'd been in the bar had left, mostly the older ones, only those that were closer to her in age hanging around. Maybe the older ones had been triggered longer, had come to terms with the pain that happened one night a month, but the younger ones seemed to be looking for a way out. Caroline remembered how painful it had been for her to watch Tyler transition let alone the pain he had experienced, remembered how he'd been grateful to not have to do it any longer. The drawback being he was forced to do Klaus' bidding.

"…no painful transitions on the full moon unless you want," Klaus continued, leaning back against the booth they were in, those around him seemingly transfixed by his speech, all buying the spiel. "Immortality at your fingertips and never growing old."

"Just a little blood lust and an annoying sire bond to contend with," Caroline piped in with a mocking grin, not surprised at all when the arm he has slipped around her shoulders tightened, nails digging into her shoulder. What? Was she not supposed to say anything? Guess he should have let her sightsee.

"As I was saying," Klaus continued before biting into his wrist. "All it takes is a little blood now and later and you'll be invincible." His hand slipped down her arm, settling on her waist and she knew he'd done it on purpose, distracting her from responding to what he was saying. It was hard to focus on his words when she was trying to move the hand that was toying with the ends of her shirt, moving it so he could touch her skin, fingers brushing along the top of her pants.

She watched as the seven wolves picked up their glasses, downing the drinks laced with his blood, also noticed that the rest of the bar had been cleared out and that Sam was locking the door. And then watched as Klaus and he moved quicker than the others could react, snapping their necks and letting them fall to the ground.

"Another round?" the bartender called over to them, and Caroline saw the glossy look in his eyes that let her know he was compelled. Of course.

"Anything in particular you want?" Klaus asked and it took her a moment to realize that he was speaking to her.

"So what now? You get more for your army? Why are you even building an army?" she couldn't help but ask it, didn't understand the need for them. "You're like the most powerful being in the world. What's the point of making them? Like, okay, before, it was cause of Mikael, right? But he's like gone. And Esther is gone. So what are you afraid of?" Why else did anyone build an army?

He was leaning dangerously close to her, obviously wanting whatever he said to be between only the two of them. "I suggest you keep your little observations and questions to yourself, Caroline," Klaus replied, and she couldn't read his expression, though it reminded her a bit of that night at the ball when she'd said her few choice words to him.

Except she was Caroline Forbes and she never really did know when to shut her mouth. "Is it cause of Alaric?" Was he that afraid of her former history teacher turned immortal vampire?

"I think I've been fairly reasonable with you, but you are skirting a very fine line," Klaus warned and she saw the yellow in his eyes, felt his fingers digging into her arms.

She knew that provoking him further wouldn't help any and she had no intention of dying because she'd pushed him too far. "What happens after they transition? Are we staying here to help them out or are they coming with us or what?" Caroline asked, knowing her other line of questioning wasn't going to be answered.

"Don't worry. I'll be back to devoting all of my time to showing you the world and your own worth in a few days," Klaus told her, curling a strand of her hair around his finger. "I have some others coming to work with these ones. We'll stay for a bit, ensure they're not massacring the town and then be on our way."

The ones who'd died were beginning to stir and Klaus pulled back, motioning for Sam to come forward. "Remember what I told you," Klaus stated to the boy and Caroline wondered what had been said as the others came back to life, confused for a moment, before the urge for blood kicked in.

Klaus held out new glasses for them, handing off ounces of her best friend's blood and Caroline watched as more hybrids were created. She didn't know what to do, how to react to what was happening around her. All of her emotions were on overdrive and she didn't want to let any of them out, afraid of what might happen if she did. So instead she picked at the basket of chips in front of her and stared off into space.

It was their choice. It was a bad one, at least in her opinion, but at least it had been their choice. That was more than most of them got, more than she'd gotten when she'd turned, and while she wouldn't change what she'd become, she still wished sometimes that she'd been given a choice.

She didn't like those thoughts though, didn't like that she wasn't railing against what was happening. Wasn't that what she should have done? Not even a week with Klaus and she was turning the other eye to hybrid making? That really wouldn't do. She didn't know how to fix it, how to help these wolves who'd just had their lives altered forever in ways they couldn't even fathom yet, but she would figure one out. Because she knew this wouldn't be the last time Klaus found a pack with wolves to turn. Caroline knew it would happen again, but next time she'd be ready. To do what exactly she didn't know, but she sure as hell meant to figure it out before the next time.


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading and your ideas on what might happen in this project of mine. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Klaus couldn't help but enjoy that he had new hybrids around, new ones to train, to help cultivate his perfect little army. He wasn't naive, while the death of Mikael and the plotting of Esther had definitely helped to reconcile the remaining members of his family, he still couldn't quite shake off the paranoia that they would one day try and betray him again. Too many centuries of seeing it unfold in front of him for love or power or simply for chaos in Kol's sake. Though for now, his main focus with them was to help block Alaric from finding any of them. He might not trust his siblings, but he did not wish for any more of them to die.

But with a few hybrids he'd turned earlier showing up to train the new batch it was time to be off. No doubt he'd find more werewolf packs along the way but his interests lay elsewhere, on the beautiful blonde waiting on the train platform with him. She had brokered a year of her life to him and he meant to enjoy every single instance of it, to finally have her in all of her glory and then get her out of his system. A weakness like she could represent wouldn't be good for him, he would not allow it, but Klaus wouldn't dispose of her until he got all that he wanted either.

Even if the thought of disposing of her in the end hadn't been settling right with him in days. Perhaps he'd simply let her go at the end of the year, let her run back to her friends and her small town, having him branded in the back of her mind and on every piece of her body. An echo of all she'd had at her fingertips and all she would never see again.

But that was for him to determine later. For now he needed to focus on actually getting her to come around to his side. Klaus knew jewelry wouldn't work. She didn't like when he gave her gifts, even if they all looked spectacular on her, but he'd heard Tyler mention the drawing he'd done for her one day while watching his unsired hybrid, wanting to keep fear alive in the young pup. And he knew her love of horses.

Perhaps gradual steps, getting her to feel comfortable around him, to open up to him would work in his favor.

"Why is Sam with us? I thought you were having your hybrids from home work with the new ones?" Caroline asked the first words she'd said to him since they'd made it back to Edinburgh.

"I have a specific task for him to complete," Klaus informed her, watching as the young man hurried over to them with a mug of coffee for her, just the way she liked it.

"What? Follow us around and be at your every beck and call?" she muttered, and Klaus grinned, watching her take the drink from the boy before thanking him.

"Yours, actually," Klaus replied, enjoying the shocked look on her face. "He'll be protecting you with his life. Wouldn't want a repeat of what happened the other day, now would we?"

Caroline didn't reply to that, sipping her coffee instead and Klaus smiled. While he would miss the interactions with his new hybrids he was glad to be leaving. The town they were from was small and hardly up to his specifications on how he liked to live. "Will they be okay?" she asked, and he glanced over at her, unsure who she was referring to. "The hybrids?"

"I've left some of my brightest and most loyal with them, Caroline. They'll be perfectly fine," he assured, believing every word of it. "The bloodlust will take time for them to control but I've no doubt they'll catch onto in time. Sam here is already doing quite a good job at it. Though, Sam." Klaus eyed the boy's collar, noting the flecks of blood across it. "Next time be a little more careful about getting any on your clothes."

Caroline scoffed, clearly unamused by the whole ordeal and that only fueled Klaus' amusement. "Don't worry, we'll pick you up some blood bags to tie you over when we reach our destination," he told her, and she glanced over at him, her confusion confirming that she hadn't expected that. "I do believe trying to get you to feed from others at the moment will only cause another scene and I'd much rather enjoy my time with you than chase after you while you're in a huff. Though I do quite enjoy how anger looks on you, love."

She rolled her eyes at that and went back to drinking her coffee. "Can't take a compliment, this one. Always thinks there's an alternative motive behind me doling them out to her," Klaus informed the other hybrid. "Can't say I blame her. I usually do have something else up my sleeve, Sam; you'll come to learn that about me." Klaus smiled at the boy who had the decency to nod and look a little afraid at that comment, before he turned his attention back to Caroline. "But I can't help but see genuine beauty when I look at her, even if she won't quite believe me."

He found himself actually meaning the words, just as he had that night she'd been dying on her bed, just as he'd meant that he wanted to know her hopes and her dreams outside the grill. The things this girl pulled out from the depths of him were frightening but he couldn't help but enjoy every last one of them. "Hopefully someday she'll realize just how much I mean it," he continued, gaze locking with Caroline's as she turned to look at him. Her scoff froze in her throat because of their proximity and he could hear her heartbeat stop for a moment, watched her tongue dart out to lick her bottom lip and he doubted she even realized she was doing so.

"The train is here," Sam informed them, breaking the moment and Caroline pulled away, rising as if she'd been electrocuted. Klaus grimaced; annoyed at the interruption, but there would be more moments like that, ones where he would actually get what he wanted from her.

"Seems it is." Klaus rose, motioning for Caroline to proceed toward the train. He enjoyed watching her wide-eyed gaze, knowing she'd never been on one before. "Get the bags, Sam."

He stepped forward and gently took hold of Caroline's arm, leading her toward the train and through the crowd of those departing and boarding. She didn't even pull it away, too enraptured by everything as they boarded and took their seats in business class. They were only headed to London, it wouldn't be too lengthy of a trip, but Klaus was already making plans to get them on a train with sleeper cars for a part of their trip. He had a feeling he'd enjoy her reaction to that.

She seemed to realize he was touching her as they arrived at their seats and gently pulled away, sitting down at the window seat. "Where are we going?" she murmured, not quite able to look at him it seemed and Klaus smiled, sitting down beside her.

"I thought you might enjoy London. I've always taken a fancy to it and I thought it'd be nice to get it out of the way before we head to some of the more exotic destinations I've got planned," Klaus informed her, and watched her finally look over at him.

"And hybrids?" she asked, and he'd been expecting it. After all they were still carting around Elena's blood.

"We'll deal with those as we come upon any werewolf packs," he replied, watching the wheels turn in her head at his answer.

"You never explained why you're still making them." But she turned away then, clearly not expecting him to actually answer that question. He hadn't the previous day and he had no intention of revealing that to her then or ever. "Can we see the Eye of London? I read about it and I've always wanted to go on it."

Klaus had no desire to go anywhere near what he considered to be an eyesore but he couldn't really say no to the one decent request she'd made of him so far. He could endure the Ferris wheel for a few moments if it got her actually opening up to him a little more. "I suppose that can be arranged. Though one Ferris wheel is similar to any other."

"Not when the only ones you've ever been on stop being exciting once you're over three feet tall," she murmured, a reminder that she hadn't really been anywhere out of her small town.

"Then we'll do the London Eye," he conceded, arching a brow at her non-defiant behavior. "I must say, Caroline, I'm quite enjoying the lack of arguing from you today."

"Didn't see the point in it today. I'd rather enjoy London," she told him with a shrug. "Don't worry, I'm sure I'll get annoyed with you by nightfall and be right back at pointing out all of the flaws in your plans."

Klaus grinned, leaning back against the seat as she rested her head against the window. "I look forward to it, love."

* * *

Caroline had thought their suite back in Edinburgh had been extravagant but as she stepped into the penthouse suite of the hotel Klaus had chosen in London, she was beginning to realize that she really needed to redefine what extravagance even meant. Sam followed her inside, looking around just as she did and she wouldn't have been surprised if he had the same awestruck expression on his face that was no doubt on hers. She should probably pull that in, try to not look as giddy as she was feeling, but restraining herself from all her natural reactions had become tiresome. She wanted to enjoy her time and as long as Klaus wasn't doing anything that pissed her off she really didn't see why she couldn't do that.

She had a year with him, could it really hurt for her not to act insolent and enjoy herself instead of sulking around every corner? This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and maybe it'd help her understand how to travel once she decided to do so again, after her mother was gone and she was ready to make her own way in the world.

She really should call her mother. Caroline knew the woman had to be worried sick about her.

"I have some matters to attend to in town for a bit. Feel free to explore the hotel but I'd rather you didn't leave the premises, Caroline," Klaus started, and she turned around, ready to give him an earful about that "Neither of you know the area and London is unlike anywhere you've ever been. I'd rather you not get lost. Enjoy the suite, perhaps call home and let them know I haven't gobbled you up. I'll only be about an hour."

Caroline nodded. An hour wouldn't be too bad; in fact maybe it'd be a nice time to relax. She could unwind with a bubble bath and finally take the plunge of contacting home. "Fine," she murmured, and headed away from Klaus and Sam, not wanting him to think he'd won. "I'd like to get a decent shower in anyway."

She picked up her suitcase and headed toward the nearest doorway which she hoped led into one of the bedrooms. Surely this suite had at least two. "You'll want to go down about two more doors, Caroline," Klaus called out, and she hated the amusement to his tone. "I thought you'd enjoy the master bedroom."

"Thanks." She headed toward where he had directed, trying not to hurry her feet but wanting to be away from him for a while. The train ride from Edinburgh, while peaceful, had kept her in close quarters with him for longer than she liked.

She sunk down onto the large bed as soon as she entered the room, letting the door close behind her. If she listened in, she could hear Klaus speaking to Sam about something but she really didn't care to hear whatever nefarious plan was going on in the Hybrid's head. Instead she scooted up on the bed and reached for the phone, opening up the guestbook on the bedside table and flipped to the page that explained how to make overseas calls. Caroline hesitated for a moment before finally taking the plunge and dialing her mother's phone number.

After a few rings it headed to voicemail and Caroline wasn't sure if she was pleased or disappointed before rattling off a quick message. "Hi, mom. It's me. I'm sure Elena has filled you in by now. I'm okay. I'm safe. And I love you."

She hung up and lay back down, staring up at the ceiling, unsurprised to find the detail etched into it. The luster of it all had worn off for her though and she sighed, before pushing herself up out of the bed and moving to unpack her clothes. Klaus had said they'd be in town for about a week and Caroline didn't feel like living out of her suitcase, not when there was a dresser and a closet to fill. Besides, keeping busy would help her not think about how everyone was doing at home and just how much she missed them.

She heard Klaus leave and looked toward the door, remembering that he was leaving behind Elena's blood. It'd be so easy for her to dump it then and there. Dump it and run. She doubted that she'd get very far; no doubt he'd kill her within an hour of returning and figuring out what she'd done. But the blood would be gone and…well…what then? He'd just return to Mystic Falls and bleed Elena dry and Caroline wouldn't have stopped anything from happening.

As much as she didn't like that they were carting around her best friend's blood, disposing of it would only cause more problems for her friend, and as much as she loved Elena, even though she'd sacrificed a year of her life for the girl, Caroline really didn't want to sacrifice her existence for her. She wanted to live, she wanted to see the world, and maybe that made her selfish.

Or maybe it made her human, even if she couldn't ever truly be that again.

Whatever it made her, Caroline knew getting rid of Elena's blood wasn't the solution. It was figuring out exactly _why_ Klaus needed an army, why he was so hard-pressed to make the hybrids a reality, and maybe see if there was something else out there that could be worth more to him. She just needed to figure out what. Good thing she had a year to work it all out because Caroline highly doubted that it'd be an easy task to do.

* * *

True to his word Klaus arrived back within an hour and he came bearing gifts, or at least a stock of blood bags for her to drink from that he set in the in-suite fridge. He found Caroline sitting on the couch, her hair wrapped up in a towel and watching some nonsense on the television. Sam was standing by the window, watching the door to the suite and nodded once Klaus crossed the threshold, relaxing a bit.

Klaus tossed her one of the blood bags as he closed the fridge door. She swiftly caught it and he watched the blood rush to her veins for a moment, her fangs descending as she began to drink it. He'd never be a fan of the things, only using them when they were needed and he hadn't wanted Mikael to catch onto his trail. He also didn't like how her vampire features shifted back to normal so quickly. While he did find Caroline to be beautiful, he was also intrigued by her vampire features and didn't like how she hid them. Though perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised considering who her teachers had been.

"Thank you," she told him and once again he was thrown by the words. The genuineness of them reminding him of the hallway in the school all over again. Very few people ever thanked him for anything; even fewer seemed to actually mean it. But she did and he was finding that he quite enjoyed hearing those two words come from her mouth.

Klaus sat down on the couch, a suitable distance from her at the moment. No point in ruining the pleasant mood that had slowly built between them. Not yet at least. "Will you be ready to see that blasted Ferris wheel soon?" he asked, watching her face light up in delight.

It was hard not to mirror the expression and he found himself smiling back at her. "Give me like thirty and I'll be ready to go," she promised, already rising from the couch and heading toward the bedroom as she continued to drink her fill of the bag.

"Take your time, love," he called out to her even as the door closed. His phone rang, breaking the moment. "Feel free to have a bag as well, Sam. Wouldn't want you attacking any of the masses today." He waited for the boy to head to the fridge before answering. "Is there something you need, Rebekah?"

"Where _are_ you?" his sister demanded, and Klaus sighed, unsurprised at her annoyance. He was supposed to have met up with them days ago but his plans had changed and he had no desire to alter their course again.

"I do believe I said it would take me a week or two before I'd be ready to meet up," Klaus reminded, even though he knew he'd be pushing that date back a few more weeks.

"I don't believe that's what I asked," Rebekah hissed, and Klaus leaned back on the sofa, not willing to give her his location. "It seems Alaric is no longer in Mystic Falls. Which I'm sure doesn't surprise you, but I thought you'd like to know he could be anywhere now."

"I assumed he wouldn't be hanging around that sleepy little town once we all had left it." After all, he was created to kill the lot of them. "Without a daylight ring it will take him a bit of time to truly travel anywhere."

"So you _are_ overseas then?" Rebekah replied, sounding entirely too proud of herself.

"Keep safe, little sister," Klaus told her, hanging up as she started huffing. A twinge of guilt swept through him, knowing he would need to eventually reunite with them, that he wouldn't want to leave Rebekah alone for too long—even if she was with the others, he doubted their ability to keep her safe—but he wasn't ready yet to have Caroline around the lot of them. Not until he had her where he wanted her, only then would he have her endure the chaos that was his family.

Klaus didn't doubt for a moment that they would disrupt any chance he had for getting what he wanted from the baby vampire if he hadn't already ensnared her and he wasn't willing to risk that happening.

* * *

Caroline laughed as they reached the top of the London Eye, gazing out at all that could be seen. She'd read about the Ferris wheel when she was younger, had a picture of it clipped out and placed in an old scrapbook back home, but she'd never thought she'd actually be on it. Even after she had turned, after learning she'd live forever, she hadn't really expected to do so. Her mindset was still firmly fixed in human years and human yearnings and she was just beginning to see all that could be available to her if she really wanted it.

She just didn't expect it to include the Hybrid beside her. Sam was still on the ground somewhere waiting for the two of them to finish the ride, and while Caroline could tell that this wasn't exactly Klaus' idea of a good time, she was grateful that he'd come on the ride with her. This was a new mindset she really hadn't expected to have happen. Since when did she _want_ to do anything with him?

But it was so much better than the constant fighting to not enjoy herself and she wasn't going to worry about if it made her a traitor to her friends or not. Surely they wouldn't want her to be miserable for an entire year. Right?

"Having fun, love?" Klaus asked, and she looked over at him, grinning brightly and was pleased when he reciprocated the smile.

"It's amazing up here." She looked back out as they began to descend. "Is there anywhere that you really want to go?"

"I've been all over London, Caroline," Klaus pointed out. "The point of this venture is to go to the places you want to enjoy."

She nodded, thinking that over. She really didn't know enough about London to know exactly where she wanted to go or what she wanted to do. "Well…is there anywhere in particular that you want to show me? And maybe we can get me one of those touristy guide books so I can like mark off what I want to do because I have _no idea. _I'm a little out of my element."

"I know," he mused and she made a face at that which he laughed at.

It startled her, that laugh. She'd heard him laugh before, he'd done it a few times around her, but it still threw her for a loop every time. It didn't go well with the whole 'evil hybrid jerk' persona that she had dubbed him with, that he usually so easily encapsulated. She really didn't like the fact that she enjoyed it, that thought twisting inside of her and causing the tiniest stirrings of worry. She also couldn't help but wonder why she couldn't like his laugh, why she was so adamant to try and remind herself that it was something horrible. It was just a laugh, and it wasn't as though he was doing it out of spite. If anything it seemed like genuine amusement over something ordinary. Should she really be trying to despise it as she was?

"I feel as though your mind is somewhere far away at the moment," Klaus commented, breaking her silent reverie and Caroline glanced over at him, shrugging.

"Just thinking that I'm quite proud of myself for getting you to do something you obviously can't stand," she replied, because she had seen his obvious disdain for the Ferris wheel, heard his little comments about it being an eyesore.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Klaus told her as the ride descended and they were allowed off. She hadn't been expecting that response and almost faltered in her steps. "Let's go get you that guide book and you can make a list of other annoyingly touristy destinations for us to enjoy while I work in a bit of culture to your list."

"Hey, what we just did was cultural," she tried to defend, but knew she wasn't going to win that argument based on the incredulous look he gave her. "I'm guessing the Harry Potter book tour won't quite meet your high standards either, huh?" She couldn't help but laugh at his rather skeptical look. "Those books are part of my generation. Kind of like the bible is part of yours."

"I'm hardly that old, Caroline," Klaus started as Sam headed over to them, handing Caroline back her purse. "But yes, we can do that ridiculous book tour one day."

She clapped her hands, unable to contain her excitement for that. Okay, so maybe this wouldn't be a completely horrible year. Maybe that little change in her attitude had been a good call because so far she was enjoying herself and having to hang out with this side of Klaus wasn't exactly a hardship. But she knew better than to let her guard down because this wasn't the only side to him, she'd seen the other. Sam was a constant reminder of how cold and calculating the Hybrid could be and while she could enjoy Klaus' company, she couldn't forget why she was even with him or what his motives were.

Because when the year was up he'd go right back to terrorizing Elena for her blood or worse and Caroline really didn't want that to happen. She was determined to figure out how to change that outcome. At least she had a good amount of time to come up with a decent plan and she was going to try and not feel guilty if she enjoyed herself a little before it all ended. Though she was a little concerned with how many mental plans she had going on in her head and with Klaus figuring out what she was trying to do. Considering she'd been the gang's little distraction for him before she wouldn't be surprised if he thought she might have her own agenda going on in her head. It wasn't like Caroline wasn't aware that he had multiple ones going through his own brain.

She didn't want to think about how similar they were in that one regard at least.

"So guide book?" she finally asked, needing to break out of her own thoughts.

Klaus nodded. "And then I think its time for a bite to eat." He must have noticed the face she made at the idea of that. "Actual food," he assured her. "It's nearing time for afternoon tea and something tells me experiencing that tradition is somewhere on that mental list of yours already."

She couldn't deny it. She did want to try it out, even if she wasn't exactly sure what it was. But she thought it was a quintessential British experience and so she nodded, quite happy to be given the opportunity to have it...even if she was a little worried about how he seemed to so easily pick out what she would like to try. It was disconcerting and maybe one day she'd try to figure out exactly how he seemed to know her interests, but for now she was content pushing it to the back of her mind and simply enjoying the day.


End file.
